Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes near Alexandria
The DNR has surveyed largemouth bass in 96 lakes within 25 miles of Alexandria. Of those, 71 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.
Sauk Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 65 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 21 inches. Lake Minnewaska is second at A, with 108.5 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and 6% of its largemouth bass measured over 15 inches. Lake Mary is third at A, and its biggest largemouth bass was 20 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sauk Lake | A+ | 2,126 | 65/hr in electrofishing | 57% | 21" | 1.9 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Lake Minnewaska | A | 8,050 | 108.5/hr in electrofishing | 6% | 19" | 1.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Lake Mary | A | 2,450 | 43.5/hr in electrofishing | 27% | 20" | 1.4 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Pelican Lake | A | 3,761 | 33.4/hr in electrofishing | 37% | 19" | 2.5 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Chippewa Lake | A | 1,186 | 72/hr in electrofishing | 17% | 19" | 1.2 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Lake Ida | A | 4,445 | 37.5/hr in electrofishing | 19% | 19" | 1.2 lb | 2023 |
| 7 | Pelican Lake | A | 518 | 90/hr in electrofishing | 19% | 19" | 1.4 lb | 2022 |
| 8 | Fairy Lake | A | 307 | 105.3/hr in electrofishing | 10% | 20" | 1.4 lb | 2024 |
| 9 | Elk Lake | A− | 207 | 96.7/hr in electrofishing | 70% | 19" | 1.7 lb | 2021 |
| 10 | Lake Reno | A− | 3,809 | 29/hr in electrofishing | 51% | 18" | 1 lb | 2024 |
Also ranked near Alexandria: Walleye · Northern pike · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best largemouth bass 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.