Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes in Lyon County
The DNR has surveyed yellow perch in 14 lakes in Lyon 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.
Cottonwood Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 97.2 yellow perch per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 12 inches. Yankton Lake is second at A, with 82.3 yellow perch per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 22% of its yellow perch measured over 9 inches. Wood Lake is third at A, and its biggest yellow perch was 12 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cottonwood Lake | A+ | 383 | 97.2/net in gill nets | 21% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Yankton Lake | A | 403 | 82.3/net in gill nets | 22% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Wood Lake | A | 373 | 28/net in gill nets | 79% | 12" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Lake of the Hill | A | 147 | 90/net in gill nets | 20% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 5 | McKay Lake | B+ | 167 | 15/net in gill nets | 55% | 12" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Rock Lake | B+ | 379 | 8.7/net in gill nets | 40% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | West Twin Lake | B | 220 | 81/net in gill nets | 0% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Goose Lake | B | 150 | 5/net in gill nets | 17% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 9 | Lady Slipper Lake | B− | 286 | 3.5/net in gill nets | 50% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
| 10 | Island Lake | B− | 170 | 35/net in gill nets | 0% | 6" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
Also ranked in Lyon County: Walleye · Northern pike · Crappie
All of Minnesota: Best yellow perch 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.