Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Carlton County
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 33 lakes in Carlton County. Of those, 13 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.
Chub Lake is first at B+. The DNR caught 8.7 crappie per trap net in the 2020 survey, and the biggest was 11 inches. Hanging Horn Lake is second at B+, with 3.9 crappie per trap net in the 2020 survey, and 25% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Park Lake is third at B+, and its biggest crappie was 11 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Chub Lake | B+ | 313 | 8.7/net in trap nets | 5% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2020 |
| 2 | Hanging Horn Lake | B+ | 409 | 3.9/net in trap nets | 25% | 11" | 0.4 lb | 2020 |
| 3 | Park Lake | B+ | 381 | 3.6/net in trap nets | 11% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Moosehead Lake | B+ | 279 | 2.6/net in trap nets | 28% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Fond du Lac Reservoir | B | 201 | 3.1/net in trap nets | 29% | 11" | 0.6 lb | 2015 |
| 6 | Big Lake | B | 526 | 2.8/net in trap nets | 3% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2020 |
| 7 | Eagle Lake | B− | 389 | 1.1/net in trap nets | 76% | 12" | 0.7 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Bear Lake | B− | 100 | 4.7/net in trap nets | 1% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2015 |
| 9 | Upper (North) Island Lake | C+ | 114 | 3.8/net in trap nets | 1% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2021 |
| 10 | Tamarack Lake | C | 235 | 1.7/net in trap nets | 10% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2021 |
Also ranked in Carlton County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Bluegill · 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.