Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best walleye lakes in Cottonwood County
The DNR has surveyed walleye in 10 lakes in Cottonwood 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.
Talcot Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 23 walleye per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 26 inches. Mountain Lake is second at B+, with 14 walleye per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 16% of its walleye measured over 20 inches. Bean Lake is third at B+, and its biggest walleye was 26 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 20" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Talcot Lake | A− | 873 | 23/net in gill nets | 3% | 26" | 0.9 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Mountain Lake | B+ | 230 | 14/net in gill nets | 16% | 24" | 2.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Bean Lake | B+ | 164 | 12.5/net in gill nets | 24% | 26" | 2.9 lb | 2020 |
| 4 | Eagle Lake | B+ | 105 | 29/net in gill nets | 0% | 19" | 1.1 lb | 2018 |
| 5 | Bingham Lake | B | 270 | 6.3/net in gill nets | 48% | 25" | 3.2 lb | 2022 |
| 6 | Double Lake | B | 240 | 7.7/net in gill nets | 29% | 27" | 2.5 lb | 2023 |
| 7 | String Lake | C+ | 336 | — | 0% | 12" | — | 2023 |
| 8 | Cottonwood Lake | C | 155 | 3.7/net in gill nets | 7% | 24" | 1 lb | 2024 |
Also ranked in Cottonwood County: Crappie · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best walleye 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.