Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes in Clearwater County
35 surveyed yellow perch lakes sit in Clearwater County; 11 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.
Itasca Lake leads at grade A, with 33.2 yellow perch per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey and a 10-inch fish the biggest measured. Elk Lake is next at A, 69.5 yellow perch per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey, 5% of the yellow perch netted over 9 inches. Pine Lake rounds out the top three at A, a 10-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Itasca Lake | A | 1,065 | 33.2/net in gill nets | 7% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Elk Lake | A | 303 | 69.5/net in gill nets | 5% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Pine Lake | A | 1,236 | 30.7/net in gill nets | 9% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Minerva Lake | A | 230 | 54.7/net in gill nets | 9% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2016 |
| 5 | Minnow Lake | A− | 110 | 41.7/net in gill nets | 15% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Big LaSalle Lake | B+ | 235 | 7.5/net in gill nets | 13% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 7 | Rockstad Lake | B | 142 | 18/net in gill nets | 1% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2014 |
| 8 | Long Lost Lake | B | 539 | 5.3/net in gill nets | 4% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 9 | Pickerel Lake | B | 143 | 4.5/net in gill nets | 18% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Long Lake | C+ | 159 | 1.5/net in gill nets | 42% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2022 |
Also ranked in Clearwater County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill
All of Minnesota: Best yellow perch 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.