Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Lake County
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 52 lakes in Lake County. Of those, 21 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 1.8 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 13 inches. South Farm Lake is second at A, with 4.9 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 57% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Christianson Lake is third at A−, and its biggest crappie was 13 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basswood Lake | A | 25,953 | 1.8/net in trap nets | 45% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | South Farm Lake | A | 564 | 4.9/net in trap nets | 57% | 14" | 0.7 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Christianson Lake | A− | 150 | 8.4/net in trap nets | 50% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Farm Lake | B+ | 1,292 | 1.8/net in trap nets | 43% | 12" | 0.6 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Thomas Lake | B | 142 | 9.6/net in trap nets | 0% | 11" | 0.1 lb | 2018 |
| 6 | Newton Lake | B | 516 | 1.2/net in trap nets | 100% | 14" | 1.4 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Gegoka Lake | B | 145 | 3.7/net in trap nets | 6% | 13" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | T Lake | B− | 295 | — | 49% | 13" | 0.8 lb | 2019 |
| 9 | Silver Island Lake | B− | 1,239 | — | 9% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Crooked Lake | B− | 10,360 | — | 56% | 12" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in Lake County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie 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.