Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes in Itasca County
The DNR has surveyed largemouth bass in 285 lakes in Itasca County. Of those, 125 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.
Bello Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 93.2 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2016 survey, and the biggest was 19 inches. Bowstring Lake is second at A−, with 19.9 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and 8% of its largemouth bass measured over 15 inches. Bass Lake is third at A−, and its biggest largemouth bass was 18 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bello Lake | A | 527 | 93.2/hr in electrofishing | 23% | 19" | 1.2 lb | 2016 |
| 2 | Bowstring Lake | A− | 9,528 | 19.9/hr in electrofishing | 8% | 18" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Bass Lake | A− | 2,715 | 25.7/hr in electrofishing | 27% | 18" | 0.8 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | King Lake | B+ | 311 | 46/hr in electrofishing | 45% | 19" | 1.8 lb | 2009 |
| 5 | South Twin Lake | B+ | 141 | 99/hr in electrofishing | 13% | 17" | 1.1 lb | 2008 |
| 6 | Loon Lake | B+ | 231 | 101.3/hr in electrofishing | 5% | 17" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Pokegama Lake | B+ | 6,721 | 16.1/hr in electrofishing | 0% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Pickerel Lake | B+ | 241 | 76.8/hr in electrofishing | 13% | 15" | 0.8 lb | 2018 |
| 9 | Spider Lake | B+ | 1,393 | 21.5/hr in electrofishing | 20% | 19" | 1.1 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | North Twin Lake | B+ | 239 | 67/hr in electrofishing | 15% | 16" | 0.7 lb | 2008 |
Also ranked in Itasca County: Walleye · Northern pike · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best largemouth bass 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.