Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in Mahnomen County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 13 lakes in Mahnomen County. The 9 ranked below are the ones that earn a grade on this site. Grades come from survey catch rates, fish size and trophy history, scored the same way for every lake on the live map.
Snider Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 55.9 bluegill per trap net in the 2023 survey, and the biggest was 9 inches. Island Lake is second at A−, with 45.2 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 1% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. Tulaby Lake is third at A−, and its biggest bluegill was 9 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Snider Lake | A | 634 | 55.9/net in trap nets | 8% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 2 | Island Lake | A− | 616 | 45.2/net in trap nets | 1% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Tulaby Lake | A− | 832 | 44.2/net in trap nets | 2% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | South Twin Lake | B+ | 1,127 | 17.2/net in trap nets | 3% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Roy Lake | B | 695 | 102.8/net in trap nets | 0% | 7" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 6 | North Twin Lake | B− | 966 | 4.8/net in trap nets | 58% | 10" | 0.4 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Sargent Lake | B− | 138 | 15.2/net in trap nets | 23% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Bass Lake | C+ | 735 | 7.6/net in trap nets | 7% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 9 | Church Lake | C | 174 | 5.3/net in trap nets | 17% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2010 |
Also ranked in Mahnomen County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best bluegill 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.