Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in Itasca County
319 surveyed northern pike lakes sit in Itasca County; 123 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. The top 10 are ranked here.
Cut Foot Sioux Lake leads at grade A, with 8.2 northern pike per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey and a 40-inch fish the biggest measured. Island Lake is next at A, 6.8 northern pike per net in gill nets in its 2024 survey, 25% of the northern pike netted over 30 inches. Round Lake rounds out the top three at A, a 33-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cut Foot Sioux Lake | A | 2,771 | 8.2/net in gill nets | 3% | 40" | 2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Island Lake | A | 3,108 | 6.8/net in gill nets | 25% | 37" | 4.4 lb | 2024 |
| 3 | Round Lake | A | 2,860 | 12.9/net in gill nets | 1% | 33" | 1.6 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Bowstring Lake | A | 9,528 | 15.6/net in gill nets | 1% | 32" | 1.2 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Pokegama Lake | A− | 6,721 | 9.8/net in gill nets | 1% | 34" | 2.5 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Spider Lake | A− | 1,393 | 6.9/net in gill nets | 11% | 34" | 3.1 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Ball Club Lake | A− | 4,335 | 5.5/net in gill nets | 2% | 32" | 2.5 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Sand Lake | A− | 3,579 | 7.1/net in gill nets | 2% | 31" | 1.4 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Wabana Lake | B+ | 2,221 | 3.9/net in gill nets | 12% | 37" | 3.7 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Coon-Sandwick Lake | B+ | 594 | 11.8/net in gill nets | 4% | 31" | 2.7 lb | 2022 |
Also ranked in Itasca County: Walleye · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best northern pike 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.