Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best walleye lakes in Blue Earth County
The DNR has surveyed walleye in 14 lakes in Blue Earth County. The 6 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.
Madison Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 6.3 walleye per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 28 inches. Loon Lake is second at A−, with 14.7 walleye per gill net in the 2022 survey, and 7% of its walleye measured over 20 inches. Crystal Lake is third at B+, and its biggest walleye was 26 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 20" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Madison Lake | A− | 1,447 | 6.3/net in gill nets | 66% | 28" | 3.7 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Loon Lake | A− | 809 | 14.7/net in gill nets | 7% | 26" | 1.1 lb | 2022 |
| 3 | Crystal Lake | B+ | 379 | 11/net in gill nets | 19% | 26" | 2.2 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Lura Lake | B+ | 1,359 | 3.9/net in gill nets | 66% | 27" | 3.5 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Ida Lake | C+ | 138 | — | 0% | 15" | 1.3 lb | 2017 |
| 6 | Ballantyne Lake | C | 371 | 2.7/net in gill nets | 6% | 20" | 0.9 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in Blue Earth County: Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best walleye 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.