Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in Clay County
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 4 lakes in Clay County. The 4 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.
Fifteen Lake is first at B+. The DNR caught 15 northern pike per gill net in the 2024 survey, and the biggest was 37 inches. Tilde Lake is second at B, with 11 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 5% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. Silver Lake is third at C, and its biggest northern pike was 32 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Fifteen Lake | B+ | 154 | 15/net in gill nets | 8% | 37" | 2.4 lb | 2024 |
| 2 | Tilde Lake | B | 249 | 11/net in gill nets | 5% | 30" | 1.9 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Silver Lake | C | 115 | 6.2/net in gill nets | 15% | 32" | 3.8 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Lee Lake | C− | 158 | 8/net in gill nets | 0% | 27" | 1.8 lb | 2023 |
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.