Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota
2339 surveyed largemouth bass lakes sit across Minnesota; 1285 cleared this site's grade rubric, which reads DNR survey catch rates, size structure and trophy history the same way the live map does for every lake. The top 25 are ranked here.
Sauk Lake leads at grade A+, with 65 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in its 2025 survey and a 21-inch fish the biggest measured. Wall Lake is next at A+, 150.4 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in its 2025 survey, 29% of the largemouth bass netted over 15 inches. Cannon Lake rounds out the top three at A+, a 20-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | 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 this site's rubric over Minnesota DNR survey data (catch per unit effort against DNR benchmarks, size structure, trophy history). See any lake's page for the underlying numbers. Survey years vary by lake; the table shows each lake's latest.