Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Carlton County
33 surveyed crappie lakes sit in Carlton County; 13 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.
Chub Lake leads at grade B+, with 8.7 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2020 survey and a 11-inch fish the biggest measured. Hanging Horn Lake is next at B+, 3.9 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2020 survey, 25% of the crappie netted over 10 inches. Park Lake rounds out the top three at B+, a 11-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | 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 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.