Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in Cass County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 180 lakes in Cass County. Of those, 84 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.
Hovde Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 86.1 bluegill per trap net in the 2017 survey, and the biggest was 10 inches. Winnibigoshish Lake is second at A, with 2.9 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 73% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. Woman Lake is third at A−, and its biggest bluegill was 9 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hovde Lake | A | 133 | 86.1/net in trap nets | 22% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2017 |
| 2 | Winnibigoshish Lake | A | 56,471 | 2.9/net in trap nets | 73% | 10" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Woman Lake | A− | 5,520 | 19.2/net in trap nets | 2% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Boy Lake | A− | 3,308 | 11.7/net in trap nets | 25% | 9" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Gull Lake | A− | 10,010 | 28.7/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Moccasin Lake | A− | 272 | 39.7/net in trap nets | 22% | 9" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Loon Lake | A− | 232 | 69.7/net in trap nets | 6% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2017 |
| 8 | Pine Mountain Lake | A− | 1,617 | 16.3/net in trap nets | 7% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Widow Lake | B+ | 198 | 40.7/net in trap nets | 13% | 9" | 0.3 lb | 2022 |
| 10 | Wabedo Lake | B+ | 1,226 | 17.4/net in trap nets | 2% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
Also ranked in Cass County: Walleye · Northern pike · Muskellunge · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best bluegill 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.