Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best walleye lakes in Lake County
The DNR has surveyed walleye in 155 lakes in Lake County. Of those, 74 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 15.4 walleye per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 29 inches. Crooked Lake is second at A, with 6.7 walleye per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 8% of its walleye measured over 20 inches. Ensign Lake is third at A, and its biggest walleye was 30 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 20" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Basswood Lake | A+ | 25,953 | 15.4/net in gill nets | 15% | 29" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Crooked Lake | A | 10,360 | 6.7/net in gill nets | 8% | 29" | 1.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Ensign Lake | A | 1,411 | 12.1/net in gill nets | 6% | 30" | 1.2 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Moose Lake | A | 1,301 | 10.7/net in gill nets | 16% | 28" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Wilson Lake | A | 650 | 20.4/net in gill nets | 13% | 26" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Thomas Lake | A | 1,465 | 13.7/net in gill nets | 22% | 25" | 2.4 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Fall Lake | A− | 2,259 | 16.7/net in gill nets | 2% | 25" | 0.6 lb | 2022 |
| 8 | Newfound Lake | A− | 643 | 7.9/net in gill nets | 46% | 29" | 3.1 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Perent Lake | A− | 1,598 | 16.9/net in gill nets | 2% | 26" | 0.7 lb | 2019 |
| 10 | Birch Lake | A− | 836 | 16.5/net in gill nets | 11% | 26" | 1.7 lb | 2017 |
Also ranked in Lake 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.