Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Clearwater County
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 28 lakes in Clearwater County. The 8 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.
Minerva Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 17.6 crappie per trap net in the 2016 survey, and the biggest was 10 inches. Long Lake is second at C+, with 1.8 crappie per trap net in the 2022 survey, and 29% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Pickerel Lake is third at C+, and its biggest crappie was 13 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Minerva Lake | A− | 230 | 17.6/net in trap nets | 6% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2016 |
| 2 | Long Lake | C+ | 159 | 1.8/net in trap nets | 29% | 11" | 0.4 lb | 2022 |
| 3 | Pickerel Lake | C+ | 143 | 1.2/net in trap nets | 53% | 13" | 0.6 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Pine Lake | C | 1,236 | 0.3/net in trap nets | 88% | 13" | 0.9 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Long Lost Lake | C | 539 | 0.6/net in trap nets | 34% | 11" | 0.4 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Elk Lake | C | 303 | 0.7/net in trap nets | 36% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Minnow Lake | C− | 110 | 1.1/net in trap nets | 80% | 11" | 0.6 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Itasca Lake | C− | 1,065 | 0.4/net in trap nets | 15% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in Clearwater 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.