Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in McLeod County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 11 lakes in McLeod County. The 6 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.
Swan Lake is first at B. The DNR caught 20.6 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 9 inches. Cedar Lake is second at B, with 43 bluegill per trap net in the 2018 survey, and none of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. Marion Lake is third at B, and its biggest bluegill was 10 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swan Lake | B | 352 | 20.6/net in trap nets | 4% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Cedar Lake | B | 1,860 | 43/net in trap nets | 0% | 6" | — | 2018 |
| 3 | Marion Lake | B | 520 | — | 22% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Stahl's Lake | B | 141 | 79.8/net in trap nets | 0% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2018 |
| 5 | Todd Lake | C | 214 | 23.8/net in trap nets | 0% | 7" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Silver Lake | C | 453 | 8/net in trap nets | 6% | 8" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
Also ranked in McLeod 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.