Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in McLeod County
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 10 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.
Cedar Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 6.8 northern pike per gill net in the 2018 survey, and the biggest was 34 inches. Hook Lake is second at B+, with 15.8 northern pike per gill net in the 2019 survey, and 2% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. Otter Lake is third at B, and its biggest northern pike was 32 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Lake | A− | 1,860 | 6.8/net in gill nets | 5% | 34" | 3.2 lb | 2018 |
| 2 | Hook Lake | B+ | 330 | 15.8/net in gill nets | 2% | 33" | 2.2 lb | 2019 |
| 3 | Otter Lake | B | 642 | 5.9/net in gill nets | 7% | 32" | 2.6 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Todd Lake | C+ | 214 | — | 5% | 31" | 1.1 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Stahl's Lake | C | 141 | 10/net in gill nets | 1% | 30" | 2.1 lb | 2018 |
| 6 | Marion Lake | C | 520 | 3.2/net in gill nets | 5% | 32" | 2.6 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in McLeod County: Walleye · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best northern pike 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.