Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes near Bemidji
The DNR has surveyed yellow perch in 118 lakes within 25 miles of Bemidji. Of those, 60 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.
Cass Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 49 yellow perch per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 13 inches. Pike Bay Lake is second at A+, with 81.6 yellow perch per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 21% of its yellow perch measured over 9 inches. Plantagenet Lake is third at A, and its biggest yellow perch was 12 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cass Lake | A+ | 15,958 | 49/net in gill nets | 28% | 13" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Pike Bay Lake | A+ | 4,756 | 81.6/net in gill nets | 21% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Plantagenet Lake | A | 2,531 | 25.5/net in gill nets | 19% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Irving Lake | A | 662 | 45.2/net in gill nets | 11% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 5 | Bemidji (main lake) | A | 6,596 | 31.6/net in gill nets | 5% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 6 | Blackduck Lake | A | 2,711 | 40.9/net in gill nets | 5% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Big Rice Lake | A | 643 | 31.8/net in gill nets | 19% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2019 |
| 8 | Rabideau Lake | A | 680 | 30.8/net in gill nets | 12% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Itasca Lake | A | 1,065 | 33.2/net in gill nets | 7% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Wolf Lake | A | 1,076 | 46.5/net in gill nets | 3% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked near Bemidji: Walleye · Northern pike · Muskellunge · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill
All of Minnesota: Best yellow perch 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.