Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in McLeod County
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 11 lakes in McLeod County. The 10 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 A. The DNR caught 18.5 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 13 inches. Silver Lake is second at A−, with 6 crappie per trap net in the 2024 survey, and 7% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Cedar Lake is third at A−, and its biggest crappie was 9 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Swan Lake | A | 352 | 18.5/net in trap nets | 23% | 13" | 0.8 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Silver Lake | A− | 453 | 6/net in trap nets | 7% | 13" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 3 | Cedar Lake | A− | 1,860 | 7.6/net in trap nets | 0% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2018 |
| 4 | Hook Lake | B+ | 330 | 12.8/net in trap nets | 0% | 11" | 0.1 lb | 2019 |
| 5 | Winsted Lake | B+ | 382 | 15.9/net in trap nets | 0% | 9" | — | 2021 |
| 6 | Todd Lake | B | 214 | 6.7/net in trap nets | 0% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Marion Lake | B | 520 | — | 8% | 14" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Stahl's Lake | B | 141 | 3/net in trap nets | 6% | 13" | 0.2 lb | 2018 |
| 9 | Round Grove Lake | C+ | 296 | — | 8% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 10 | Otter Lake | C+ | 642 | — | 0% | 4" | — | 2025 |
Also ranked in McLeod County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie 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.