Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes near Alexandria
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 97 lakes within 25 miles of Alexandria. Of those, 68 earn a grade on this site, and the top 10 are ranked below. Grades come from survey catch rates, fish size and trophy history, scored the same way for every lake on the live map.
Moon Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 20.6 crappie per trap net in the 2023 survey, and the biggest was 14 inches. Lake Osakis is second at A, with 2.4 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 34% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Red Rock Lake is third at A, and its biggest crappie was 14 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Moon Lake | A | 139 | 20.6/net in trap nets | 50% | 14" | 0.6 lb | 2023 |
| 2 | Lake Osakis | A | 6,389 | 2.4/net in trap nets | 34% | 14" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Red Rock Lake | A | 904 | 6.3/net in trap nets | 39% | 14" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Lake Minnewaska | A | 8,050 | 2.2/net in trap nets | 48% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Lake Winona | A | 213 | 118.5/net in trap nets | 3% | 11" | — | 2021 |
| 6 | Lake Moses | A | 824 | 5.7/net in trap nets | 32% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Pelican Lake | A | 3,761 | 2.3/net in trap nets | 14% | 14" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Stowe Lake | A | 377 | 6.6/net in trap nets | 78% | 13" | 0.8 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Fish Lake | A− | 489 | 48.7/net in trap nets | 3% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Whiskey Lake | A− | 160 | 9.3/net in trap nets | 58% | 13" | 0.7 lb | 2021 |
Also ranked near Alexandria: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth 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.