Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in Carver County
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 32 lakes in Carver County. Of those, 16 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.
Minnewashta Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 17.6 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 33 inches. Parley Lake is second at A−, with 17 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 11% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. Riley Lake is third at B+, and its biggest northern pike was 38 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minnewashta Lake | A | 680 | 17.6/net in gill nets | 4% | 33" | 1.7 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Parley Lake | A− | 258 | 17/net in gill nets | 11% | 35" | 2.8 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Riley Lake | B+ | 296 | 9.8/net in gill nets | 24% | 38" | 4.2 lb | 2021 |
| 4 | Waconia Lake | B+ | 3,080 | 2.7/net in gill nets | 25% | 35" | 4.1 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Auburn Lake | B+ | 291 | 10.8/net in gill nets | 9% | 32" | 3.1 lb | 2022 |
| 6 | Hydes Lake | B | 222 | 15.6/net in gill nets | 1% | 32" | 2.4 lb | 2017 |
| 7 | Ann Lake | B | 116 | 17.3/net in gill nets | 2% | 33" | 1.6 lb | 2023 |
| 8 | Zumbra-Sunny Lake | B− | 271 | 12.3/net in gill nets | 0% | 28" | 2.2 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Steiger Lake | B− | 166 | 9.3/net in gill nets | 7% | 32" | 2.8 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Bavaria Lake | B− | 167 | 6.8/net in gill nets | 18% | 34" | 3.5 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in Carver County: Walleye · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best northern pike 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.