Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in Murray County
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 13 lakes in Murray County. The 5 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.
Buffalo Lake is first at B+. The DNR caught 15.5 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 34 inches. Shetek Lake is second at B+, with 4.5 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 2% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. Lime 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 | Buffalo Lake | B+ | 127 | 15.5/net in gill nets | 13% | 34" | 3.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Shetek Lake | B+ | 3,462 | 4.5/net in gill nets | 2% | 32" | 1.3 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Lime Lake | B− | 326 | — | 7% | 32" | 2.7 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Bloody Lake | C+ | 274 | — | 0% | 24" | 0.5 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Louisa Lake | C+ | 230 | — | 0% | 16" | — | 2018 |
Also ranked in Murray County: Walleye · Crappie · 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.