Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Cottonwood County
11 surveyed crappie lakes sit in Cottonwood County; the 6 ranked here 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.
Talcot Lake leads at grade B+, with 2.5 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2025 survey and a 12-inch fish the biggest measured. Cottonwood Lake is next at B+, 38.4 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2024 survey, 0% of the crappie netted over 10 inches. Mountain Lake rounds out the top three at B+, a 11-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Talcot Lake | B+ | 873 | 2.5/net in trap nets | 22% | 12" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Cottonwood Lake | B+ | 155 | 38.4/net in trap nets | 0% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 3 | Mountain Lake | B+ | 230 | 6.2/net in trap nets | 15% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | String Lake | B | 336 | 5.4/net in trap nets | 2% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Bean Lake | C | 164 | 1.2/net in trap nets | 39% | 12" | 0.5 lb | 2020 |
| 6 | Double Lake | C− | 240 | 0.6/net in trap nets | 36% | 13" | 0.6 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked in Cottonwood County: Walleye · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie 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.