Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes in Le Sueur County
The DNR has surveyed largemouth bass in 21 lakes in Le Sueur County. Of those, 12 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.
Middle Jefferson Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 58.4 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2018 survey, and the biggest was 20 inches. Frances Lake is second at A, with 103.6 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and 12% of its largemouth bass measured over 15 inches. West Jefferson Lake is third at B+, and its biggest largemouth bass was 18 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Middle Jefferson Lake | A | 667 | 58.4/hr in electrofishing | 27% | 20" | 2.1 lb | 2018 |
| 2 | Frances Lake | A | 927 | 103.6/hr in electrofishing | 12% | 18" | 1.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | West Jefferson Lake | B+ | 439 | 54.9/hr in electrofishing | 8% | 18" | 0.8 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Horseshoe Lake | B+ | 417 | 45/hr in electrofishing | 17% | 18" | 2 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | East Jefferson Lake | B | 685 | 18.4/hr in electrofishing | 40% | 19" | 3.4 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Greenleaf Lake | B | 302 | 43.7/hr in electrofishing | 7% | 17" | 0.8 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Tetonka Lake | B− | 1,358 | 11.2/hr in electrofishing | 42% | 20" | 3.2 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Washington Lake | B− | 1,516 | 9.9/hr in electrofishing | 38% | 20" | 2.4 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | German Lake | B− | 889 | 15.3/hr in electrofishing | 32% | 18" | 1.8 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Upper Sakatah Lake | C+ | 892 | — | 50% | 15" | 1.1 lb | 2020 |
Also ranked in Le Sueur County: Walleye · Northern pike · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best largemouth bass 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.