Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Big Stone County
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 7 lakes in Big Stone County. The 5 ranked below are the ones that earn a grade on this site. Grades come from survey catch rates, fish size and trophy history, scored the same way for every lake on the live map.
Artichoke Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 5.8 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 14 inches. Big Stone Lake is second at B+, with 1.1 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 8% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Long Lake is third at B+, and its biggest crappie was 10 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Artichoke Lake | A | 1,971 | 5.8/net in trap nets | 5% | 14" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Big Stone Lake | B+ | 11,984 | 1.1/net in trap nets | 8% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Long Lake | B+ | 395 | 4.6/net in trap nets | 3% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Marsh Lake | C+ | 4,462 | — | 0% | 7" | — | 2025 |
| 5 | East Toqua Lake | C | 437 | 1.4/net in trap nets | 0% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked in Big Stone County: Walleye · Northern pike · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie 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.