Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes in Freeborn County
The DNR has surveyed yellow perch in 8 lakes in Freeborn County. The 7 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.
Pickeral Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 63 yellow perch per gill net in the 2013 survey, and the biggest was 12 inches. Albert Lea Lake is second at A−, with 18.3 yellow perch per gill net in the 2021 survey, and 2% of its yellow perch measured over 9 inches. Bear Lake is third at A−, and its biggest yellow perch was 9 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pickeral Lake | A+ | 588 | 63/net in gill nets | 22% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2013 |
| 2 | Albert Lea Lake | A− | 2,669 | 18.3/net in gill nets | 2% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2021 |
| 3 | Bear Lake | A− | 1,033 | 38/net in gill nets | 2% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2009 |
| 4 | Fountain Lake | A− | 522 | 56.6/net in gill nets | 1% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Freeborn Lake | B+ | 2,034 | 8.1/net in gill nets | 6% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2021 |
| 6 | State Line Lake | B | 372 | — | 69% | 12" | 0.5 lb | 2017 |
| 7 | White Lake | C+ | 168 | 13/net in gill nets | 0% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2015 |
Also ranked in Freeborn County: Northern pike · Crappie
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.