Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys

Best crappie lakes in Beltrami County

64 surveyed crappie lakes sit in Beltrami County; 29 cleared this site's grade rubric, which reads DNR survey catch rates, size structure and trophy history the same way the live map does for every lake. The top 10 are ranked here.

Big Lake leads at grade A−, with 1.4 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2025 survey and a 12-inch fish the biggest measured. Rabideau Lake is next at B+, 3.6 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2025 survey, 19% of the crappie netted over 10 inches. North Twin Lake rounds out the top three at B+, a 11-inch fish the biggest measured.

See the live ranking on the map →

#LakeGradeAcresSurvey catch rateOver 10"Biggest SurveyedAvg wtSurveyed
1Big LakeA−3,5981.4/net in trap nets40%12"0.4 lb2025
2Rabideau LakeB+6803.6/net in trap nets19%12"0.2 lb2025
3North Twin LakeB+3265.4/net in trap nets51%11"0.5 lb2025
4Pimushe LakeB+1,2301.6/net in trap nets40%12"0.5 lb2025
5Black LakeB+2712.6/net in trap nets60%12"0.4 lb2017
6Little Turtle LakeB4691.2/net in trap nets91%15"1.1 lb2021
7Cass LakeB15,9580.4/net in trap nets13%10"0.1 lb2025
8Campbell LakeB4631.9/net in trap nets33%11"0.5 lb2021
9South Twin LakeB2222.5/net in trap nets34%11"0.4 lb2025
10Sandy LakeB2612.4/net in trap nets6%13"0.1 lb2025

Also ranked in Beltrami County: Walleye · Northern pike · Muskellunge · Largemouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch

All of Minnesota: Best crappie lakes in Minnesota

Grades are this site's rubric over Minnesota DNR survey data (catch per unit effort against DNR benchmarks, size structure, trophy history). See any lake's page for the underlying numbers. Survey years vary by lake; the table shows each lake's latest.