Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in Lake County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 99 lakes in Lake County. Of those, 37 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.
Basswood Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 9.3 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 9 inches. Lax Lake is second at B, with 19.4 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 11% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. One Lake is third at B, and its biggest bluegill was 9 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basswood Lake | A | 25,953 | 9.3/net in trap nets | 22% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Lax Lake | B | 295 | 19.4/net in trap nets | 11% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | One Lake | B | 846 | 8.6/net in trap nets | 19% | 9" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | North McDougal Lake | B− | 273 | 7.8/net in trap nets | 86% | 11" | 0.6 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Sand Lake | B− | 487 | 7/net in trap nets | 28% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2022 |
| 6 | Middle McDougal Lake | B− | 104 | 13.5/net in trap nets | 39% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
| 7 | Wood Lake | B− | 617 | — | 20% | 9" | 0.3 lb | 2015 |
| 8 | Bald Eagle Lake | B− | 1,243 | — | 100% | 9" | 0.7 lb | 2019 |
| 9 | Ella Hall Lake | B− | 379 | — | 3% | 9" | — | 2017 |
| 10 | Two Lake | C+ | 516 | — | 45% | 8" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in Lake County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best bluegill 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.