Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota
The DNR has surveyed largemouth bass in 2,339 Minnesota lakes. Of those, 1,285 earn a grade on this site, and the top 25 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.
Sauk Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 65 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 21 inches. Wall Lake is second at A+, with 150.4 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and 29% of its largemouth bass measured over 15 inches. Cannon Lake is third at A+, and its biggest largemouth bass was 20 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sauk Lake | A+ | 2,126 | 65/hr in electrofishing | 57% | 21" | 1.9 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Wall Lake | A+ | 727 | 150.4/hr in electrofishing | 29% | 20" | 1.4 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Cannon Lake | A+ | 1,593 | 73.1/hr in electrofishing | 59% | 20" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | East Solomon Lake | A+ | 658 | 104.4/hr in electrofishing | 26% | 21" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Swan Lake | A+ | 749 | 236.4/hr in electrofishing | 46% | 19" | 1.7 lb | 2022 |
| 6 | Tenmile Lake | A+ | 1,428 | 163.7/hr in electrofishing | 85% | 19" | 2.3 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Gull Lake | A+ | 10,010 | 66.3/hr in electrofishing | 24% | 19" | 1.1 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Lake Minnewaska | A | 8,050 | 108.5/hr in electrofishing | 6% | 19" | 1.1 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Cedar Lake | A | 790 | 78/hr in electrofishing | 42% | 20" | 1 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Leech Lake | A | 103,444 | 20.7/hr in electrofishing | 8% | 19" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 11 | Whitefish Lake | A | 7,714 | 45.6/hr in electrofishing | 20% | 19" | 0.7 lb | 2025 |
| 12 | Pebble Lake | A | 195 | 179.9/hr in electrofishing | 21% | 20" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 13 | Middle Lake | A | 225 | 222.9/hr in electrofishing | 18% | 19" | — | 2024 |
| 14 | Lake Mary | A | 2,450 | 43.5/hr in electrofishing | 27% | 20" | 1.4 lb | 2025 |
| 15 | Clear Lake | A | 649 | 87.5/hr in electrofishing | 23% | 20" | 2.6 lb | 2024 |
| 16 | Green Lake | A | 833 | 104.9/hr in electrofishing | 26% | 19" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 17 | Howard Lake | A | 745 | 81.9/hr in electrofishing | 27% | 20" | 1.1 lb | 2024 |
| 18 | White Sand Lake | A | 415 | 122/hr in electrofishing | 47% | 19" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
| 19 | Waverly Lake | A | 494 | 133/hr in electrofishing | 19% | 19" | 1.3 lb | 2024 |
| 20 | West Lake Sylvia | A | 904 | 84.1/hr in electrofishing | 9% | 21" | 0.9 lb | 2025 |
| 21 | Sewell Lake | A | 369 | 124.9/hr in electrofishing | 50% | 19" | 1.7 lb | 2024 |
| 22 | Lake Emily | A | 2,316 | 71.2/hr in electrofishing | 38% | 18" | 1.7 lb | 2025 |
| 23 | Alexander Lake | A | 2,709 | 73.8/hr in electrofishing | 24% | 18" | 1.4 lb | 2025 |
| 24 | Pelican Lake | A | 11,546 | 42.9/hr in electrofishing | 39% | 18" | 1.9 lb | 2022 |
| 25 | North Turtle Lake | A | 1,773 | 80.8/hr in electrofishing | 66% | 18" | — | 2025 |
Also ranked statewide: Walleye · Northern pike · Muskellunge · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
Largemouth bass by county: Aitkin · Anoka · Becker · Beltrami · Blue Earth · Carlton · Carver · Cass · Chisago · Clearwater · Crow Wing · Douglas · Grant · Hennepin · Hubbard · Isanti · Itasca · Kanabec · Kandiyohi · Lake · Le Sueur · Mahnomen · Martin · McLeod · Meeker · Morrison · Otter Tail · Pine · Polk · Pope · Ramsey · Rice · Scott · Sherburne · St. Louis · Stearns · Todd · Washington · Wright
Largemouth bass near a city: Minneapolis · St. Paul · Duluth · St. Cloud · Brainerd · Bemidji · Mankato · Grand Rapids · Alexandria · Willmar
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.