Minnesota · statewide
The best fishing lakes in Minnesota, by the numbers
These lakes grade A− or better on this site. Every grade comes from Minnesota DNR survey data, scored the same way for every lake: how many fish the DNR caught (scaled by lake size), how many reached quality size, and the biggest fish measured. Each lake links to its page with the survey numbers behind the grade.
Walleye
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 20" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leech Lake | A+ | 103,444 | 8.8/net in gill nets | 11% | 31" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Lake of the Woods | A+ | 725,583 | 15.7/net in gill nets | 19% | 31" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Red (Upper Red) Lake | A+ | 119,294 | 45.1/net in gill nets | 0% | 29" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Rainy Lake | A+ | 210,200 | 6.1/net in gill nets | 7% | 31" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Basswood Lake | A+ | 25,953 | 15.4/net in gill nets | 15% | 29" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
Statewide, 229 lakes grade A− or better for walleye. Full walleye ranking → · Live ranking on the map →
Northern pike
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake of the Woods | A+ | 725,583 | 1.8/net in gill nets | 27% | 43" | 4.5 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Rainy Lake | A+ | 210,200 | 1.9/net in gill nets | 16% | 41" | 3.4 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Kabetogama Lake | A+ | 24,034 | 3.4/net in gill nets | 18% | 40" | 3.6 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Mille Lacs Lake | A+ | 128,250 | 1.6/net in gill nets | 18% | 45" | 4.1 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Lake Minnewaska | A+ | 8,050 | 13.5/net in gill nets | 5% | 36" | 2.8 lb | 2025 |
Statewide, 212 lakes grade A− or better for northern pike. Full northern pike ranking → · Live ranking on the map →
Muskellunge
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 40" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leech Lake | A | 103,444 | — | 78% | 50" | 21.6 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Bouder Lake | A | 129 | — | 0% | 38" | 4.4 lb | 2014 |
| 3 | Vermilion Lake | A | 39,272 | — | 91% | 50" | 25.9 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Lichen Lake | A− | 253 | — | 0% | 35" | 3.9 lb | 2014 |
| 5 | Harris Lake | A− | 122 | — | 0% | 33" | 3.8 lb | 2025 |
Statewide, 8 lakes grade A− or better for muskellunge. Full muskellunge ranking → · Live ranking on the map →
Largemouth bass
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sauk Lake | A+ | 2,126 | 65/hr in electrofishing | 57% | 21" | 1.9 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Wall Lake | A+ | 727 | 150.4/hr in electrofishing | 29% | 20" | 1.4 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Cannon Lake | A+ | 1,593 | 73.1/hr in electrofishing | 59% | 20" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | East Solomon Lake | A+ | 658 | 104.4/hr in electrofishing | 26% | 21" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Swan Lake | A+ | 749 | 236.4/hr in electrofishing | 46% | 19" | 1.7 lb | 2022 |
Statewide, 143 lakes grade A− or better for largemouth bass. Full largemouth bass ranking → · Live ranking on the map →
Smallmouth bass
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Mille Lacs Lake | A+ | 128,250 | 34.4/hr in electrofishing | 56% | 22" | 1.7 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Deer Lake | A | 4,094 | 50.9/hr in electrofishing | 29% | 20" | 1.8 lb | 2023 |
| 3 | Clearwater Lake | A | 906 | 89.2/hr in electrofishing | 28% | 20" | 1.8 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Rainy Lake | A | 210,200 | 33.3/hr in electrofishing | 4% | 19" | 1.2 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Black Duck Lake | A | 1,250 | 233.4/hr in electrofishing | 5% | 19" | 1.7 lb | 2023 |
Statewide, 31 lakes grade A− or better for smallmouth bass. Full smallmouth bass ranking → · Live ranking on the map →
Crappie
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lake of the Woods | A+ | 725,583 | 3.2/net in trap nets | 11% | 15" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Rainy Lake | A+ | 210,200 | 8.5/net in trap nets | 9% | 14" | 0.7 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Long Lake | A+ | 620 | 80.2/net in trap nets | 7% | 14" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Lura Lake | A+ | 1,359 | 33.7/net in trap nets | 5% | 14" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Vermilion Lake | A+ | 39,272 | 5/net in trap nets | 31% | 14" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
Statewide, 193 lakes grade A− or better for crappie. Full crappie ranking → · Live ranking on the map →
Bluegill
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pokegama Lake | A+ | 6,721 | 23.5/net in trap nets | 24% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 2 | High Lake | A | 274 | 108.8/net in trap nets | 8% | 10" | — | 2024 |
| 3 | Lake Miltona | A | 5,731 | 29.3/net in trap nets | 2% | 13" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Little Sugar Bush Lake | A | 221 | 80.2/net in trap nets | 35% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Green Lake | A | 5,569 | 52.1/net in trap nets | 1% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
Statewide, 126 lakes grade A− or better for bluegill. Full bluegill ranking → · Live ranking on the map →
Yellow perch
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cass Lake | A+ | 15,958 | 49/net in gill nets | 28% | 13" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Mille Lacs Lake | A+ | 128,250 | 53/net in gill nets | 10% | 14" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Pike Bay Lake | A+ | 4,756 | 81.6/net in gill nets | 21% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Iron Lake | A+ | 282 | 317/net in gill nets | 24% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Lake of the Woods | A+ | 725,583 | 17.7/net in gill nets | 2% | 13" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
Statewide, 227 lakes grade A− or better for yellow perch. Full yellow perch ranking → · Live ranking on the map →
How the grades work: for each species, a lake's score is 60% how many fish the DNR caught, 25% how many reached quality size and 15% trophy fish. Each letter grade covers a fixed range of that score. This page is the statewide snapshot; the live map re-ranks lakes as you change the filters.