Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes in Big Stone County
The DNR has surveyed yellow perch in 9 lakes in Big Stone County. The 4 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.
Big Stone Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 199.7 yellow perch per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 11 inches. East Toqua Lake is second at B. None of its yellow perch measured over 9 inches. Artichoke Lake is third at B−, and its biggest yellow perch was 11 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Stone Lake | A+ | 11,984 | 199.7/net in gill nets | 18% | 11" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | East Toqua Lake | B | 437 | — | 0% | 11" | 0.4 lb | 2023 |
| 3 | Artichoke Lake | B− | 1,971 | 1.1/net in gill nets | 33% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Long Lake | B− | 395 | 3/net in gill nets | 38% | 10" | 0.4 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked in Big Stone County: Walleye · Northern pike · Crappie
All of Minnesota: Best yellow perch 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.