Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Martin County
19 surveyed crappie lakes sit in Martin County; 15 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.
Bright Lake leads at grade A+, with 13 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2025 survey and a 14-inch fish the biggest measured. Cedar Lake is next at A, 19.6 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2022 survey, 30% of the crappie netted over 10 inches. East Chain Lake rounds out the top three at A−, a 15-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Bright Lake | A+ | 639 | 13/net in trap nets | 51% | 14" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Cedar Lake | A | 707 | 19.6/net in trap nets | 30% | 14" | 0.8 lb | 2022 |
| 3 | East Chain Lake | A− | 481 | 6.9/net in trap nets | 27% | 15" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Willmert (main bay) Lake | A− | 335 | 25.7/net in trap nets | 7% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2019 |
| 5 | Imogene Lake | A− | 186 | 10.2/net in trap nets | 38% | 12" | 0.5 lb | 2021 |
| 6 | Amber Lake | A− | 182 | 9.9/net in trap nets | 22% | 12" | 0.5 lb | 2022 |
| 7 | Iowa Lake | A− | 705 | 16.3/net in trap nets | 3% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 8 | Fox Lake | A− | 951 | 18/net in trap nets | 1% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Sisseton Lake | A− | 138 | 16.4/net in trap nets | 13% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
| 10 | South Silver Lake | A− | 252 | 16.9/net in trap nets | 2% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2022 |
Also ranked in Martin County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · 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.