Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in Cook County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 41 lakes in Cook County. Of those, 13 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.
Christine Lake is first at B. The DNR caught 17.6 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 10 inches. Hungry Jack Lake is second at B, with 14.9 bluegill per trap net in the 2020 survey, and 3% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. White Pine Lake is third at C+, and its biggest bluegill was 10 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Christine Lake | B | 184 | 17.6/net in trap nets | 7% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Hungry Jack Lake | B | 474 | 14.9/net in trap nets | 3% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2020 |
| 3 | White Pine Lake | C+ | 346 | 6.8/net in trap nets | 15% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 4 | Gull Lake | C+ | 168 | — | 0% | 2" | — | 2017 |
| 5 | Gunflint Lake | C+ | 4,009 | — | 0% | 6" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Homer Lake | C+ | 434 | — | 0% | 3" | — | 2022 |
| 7 | East Bearskin Lake | C+ | 593 | — | 0% | 1" | — | 2024 |
| 8 | Larch Lake | C+ | 132 | — | 0% | 4" | — | 2025 |
| 9 | Aspen Lake | C+ | 141 | — | 0% | 1" | — | 2020 |
| 10 | Clara Lake | C+ | 388 | 4.2/net in trap nets | 38% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked in Cook County: Walleye · Northern pike · 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.