Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes near Bemidji
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 112 lakes within 25 miles of Bemidji. Of those, 55 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.
Grace Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 31.7 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 9 inches. Big Lake is second at A−, with 14.2 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 15% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. Big Bass (east basin) Lake is third at A−, and its biggest bluegill was 8 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Grace Lake | A− | 860 | 31.7/net in trap nets | 6% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Big Lake | A− | 3,598 | 14.2/net in trap nets | 15% | 9" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Big Bass (east basin) Lake | A− | 337 | 77.1/net in trap nets | 2% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Itasca Lake | A− | 1,065 | 20.4/net in trap nets | 8% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Paine Lake | B+ | 240 | 31.8/net in trap nets | 6% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2016 |
| 6 | Midge Lake | B+ | 546 | 41.3/net in trap nets | 1% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2021 |
| 7 | Minerva Lake | B+ | 230 | 23/net in trap nets | 30% | 10" | 0.4 lb | 2016 |
| 8 | Balm Lake | B+ | 537 | 17/net in trap nets | 25% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Thirteen Lake | B+ | 555 | 14.4/net in trap nets | 17% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Movil Lake | B+ | 855 | 13.7/net in trap nets | 12% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked near Bemidji: Walleye · Northern pike · Muskellunge · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best bluegill 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.