Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in Itasca County
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 319 lakes in Itasca County. Of those, 123 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.
Cut Foot Sioux Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 8.2 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 40 inches. Island Lake is second at A, with 6.8 northern pike per gill net in the 2024 survey, and 25% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. Round Lake is third at A, and its biggest northern pike was 33 inches.
| # | 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 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.