Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in Becker County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 79 lakes in Becker County. Of those, 53 earn a grade on this site, and the top 10 are ranked below. Grades come from survey catch rates, fish size and trophy history, scored the same way for every lake on the live map.
Little Sugar Bush Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 80.2 bluegill per trap net in the 2023 survey, and the biggest was 10 inches. Big Sugar Bush Lake is second at A, with 57.7 bluegill per trap net in the 2022 survey, and 29% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. North Tamarack Lake is third at A, and its biggest bluegill was 10 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Sugar Bush Lake | A | 221 | 80.2/net in trap nets | 35% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 2 | Big Sugar Bush Lake | A | 522 | 57.7/net in trap nets | 29% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 3 | North Tamarack Lake | A | 1,442 | 21.6/net in trap nets | 26% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Buffalo Lake | A | 418 | 59.9/net in trap nets | 37% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 5 | Wolf Lake | A | 1,460 | 32.3/net in trap nets | 8% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2016 |
| 6 | Height of Land Lake | A− | 3,795 | 13.2/net in trap nets | 42% | 9" | 0.4 lb | 2023 |
| 7 | Leif Lake | A− | 521 | 28.6/net in trap nets | 30% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 8 | Cotton Lake | A− | 1,763 | 14.8/net in trap nets | 34% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2021 |
| 9 | Detroit Lake | A− | 3,067 | 45.4/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Many Point Lake | A− | 1,701 | 56.4/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked in Becker County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best bluegill lakes in Minnesota
Grades are based on Minnesota DNR survey data: how many fish the DNR caught (scaled by lake size), how many reached quality size, and the biggest fish measured. Each lake's page has the numbers behind its grade. The table shows each lake's most recent survey year.