Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes in Douglas County
The DNR has surveyed yellow perch in 61 lakes in Douglas County. Of those, 32 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.
Smith Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 68 yellow perch per gill net in the 2024 survey, and the biggest was 9 inches. Gilbert Lake is second at A−, with 34.8 yellow perch per gill net in the 2023 survey, and 30% of its yellow perch measured over 9 inches. Lake Miltona is third at A−, and its biggest yellow perch was 10 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Smith Lake | A− | 666 | 68/net in gill nets | 1% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 2 | Gilbert Lake | A− | 202 | 34.8/net in gill nets | 30% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 3 | Lake Miltona | A− | 5,731 | 12/net in gill nets | 1% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Lake Henry | A− | 152 | 63.7/net in gill nets | 2% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Moon Lake | A− | 139 | 21/net in gill nets | 30% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
| 6 | Lake Moses | B+ | 824 | 10.9/net in gill nets | 10% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Lake Agnes | B+ | 138 | 45.3/net in gill nets | 1% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 8 | Red Rock Lake | B+ | 904 | 9.2/net in gill nets | 5% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Lake Victoria | B+ | 417 | 11.3/net in gill nets | 4% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Lake Andrew | B | 923 | 6.2/net in gill nets | 3% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
Also ranked in Douglas County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill
All of Minnesota: Best yellow perch 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.