Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best walleye lakes in Itasca County
The DNR has surveyed walleye in 202 lakes in Itasca County. Of those, 66 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.
Pokegama Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 7.5 walleye per gill net in the 2024 survey, and the biggest was 27 inches. Deer Lake is second at A, with 6.1 walleye per gill net in the 2023 survey, and 24% of its walleye measured over 20 inches. Island Lake is third at A, and its biggest walleye was 25 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 20" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pokegama Lake | A | 6,721 | 7.5/net in gill nets | 34% | 27" | 2.5 lb | 2024 |
| 2 | Deer Lake | A | 4,094 | 6.1/net in gill nets | 24% | 27" | 2 lb | 2023 |
| 3 | Island Lake | A | 3,108 | 13.9/net in gill nets | 15% | 25" | 1.2 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Round Lake | A | 2,860 | 12/net in gill nets | 16% | 25" | 1.3 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Bowstring Lake | A− | 9,528 | 10.2/net in gill nets | 4% | 24" | 1.2 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Swan Lake | A− | 2,456 | 7.3/net in gill nets | 13% | 27" | 1.3 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Siseebakwet Lake | A− | 1,210 | 29.8/net in gill nets | 6% | 23" | 1.1 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Turtle Lake | A− | 2,126 | 4.8/net in gill nets | 27% | 29" | 2.2 lb | 2017 |
| 9 | Little Winnibigoshish Lake | A− | 1,002 | 12.5/net in gill nets | 7% | 26" | 1.1 lb | 2017 |
| 10 | Trout Lake | A− | 1,862 | 8.3/net in gill nets | 22% | 24" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in Itasca County: Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best walleye 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.