Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Le Sueur County
23 surveyed crappie lakes sit in Le Sueur County; 18 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 10 are ranked here.
Washington Lake leads at grade A, with 8.5 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2025 survey and a 13-inch fish the biggest measured. West Jefferson Lake is next at A, 56.8 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2024 survey, 6% of the crappie netted over 10 inches. East Jefferson Lake rounds out the top three at A, a 14-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Washington Lake | A | 1,516 | 8.5/net in trap nets | 14% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | West Jefferson Lake | A | 439 | 56.8/net in trap nets | 6% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 3 | East Jefferson Lake | A | 685 | 26.3/net in trap nets | 7% | 14" | 0.9 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Horseshoe Lake | A− | 417 | 13.3/net in trap nets | 10% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | German Lake | A− | 889 | 6.2/net in trap nets | 10% | 13" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Volney Lake | A− | 269 | 18.5/net in trap nets | 19% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Rays Lake | A− | 169 | 38.4/net in trap nets | 3% | 11" | 0.1 lb | 2021 |
| 8 | Middle Jefferson Lake | A− | 667 | 10.5/net in trap nets | 2% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2018 |
| 9 | Tetonka Lake | A− | 1,358 | 4.3/net in trap nets | 13% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Scotch Lake | B+ | 598 | 7/net in trap nets | 4% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked in Le Sueur County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie lakes in Minnesota
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.