Minnesota · statewide
The best fishing lakes in Minnesota, by the numbers
These are the lakes that grade A− or better under this site's rubric, which reads Minnesota DNR survey data the same way every time: catch rates against the DNR's own benchmarks, size structure and trophy history. Every grade traces to published survey numbers, and every lake links to them.
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 |
227 lakes grade A− or better for walleye statewide. Full walleye ranking →
See the live Walleye ranking →
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 |
212 lakes grade A− or better for northern pike statewide. Full northern pike ranking →
See the live Northern pike ranking →
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 | — | 83% | 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 |
7 lakes grade A− or better for muskellunge statewide. Full muskellunge ranking →
See the live Muskellunge ranking →
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 |
142 lakes grade A− or better for largemouth bass statewide. Full largemouth bass ranking →
See the live Largemouth bass ranking →
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 |
31 lakes grade A− or better for smallmouth bass statewide. Full smallmouth bass ranking →
See the live Smallmouth bass ranking →
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 |
193 lakes grade A− or better for crappie statewide. Full crappie ranking →
See the live Crappie ranking →
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 |
126 lakes grade A− or better for bluegill statewide. Full bluegill ranking →
See the live Bluegill ranking →
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 |
227 lakes grade A− or better for yellow perch statewide. Full yellow perch ranking →
See the live Yellow perch ranking →
How these grades work: each species pool is scored 60% abundance / 25% quality size / 15% trophy from DNR survey data; letter grades are fixed bands on that score. The live map re-ranks with your filters. This page is the statewide snapshot.