Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes near Brainerd
The DNR has surveyed yellow perch in 195 lakes within 25 miles of Brainerd. Of those, 73 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.
Whitefish Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 19.6 yellow perch per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 12 inches. Round Lake is second at A, with 20.9 yellow perch per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 6% of its yellow perch measured over 9 inches. Gull Lake is third at A, and its biggest yellow perch was 11 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Whitefish Lake | A | 7,714 | 19.6/net in gill nets | 5% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Round Lake | A | 1,650 | 20.9/net in gill nets | 6% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Gull Lake | A | 10,010 | 10.4/net in gill nets | 3% | 11" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Edward Lake | A− | 2,628 | 11.1/net in gill nets | 10% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Shamineau Lake | A− | 1,434 | 17.3/net in gill nets | 2% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Green Prairie Fish Lake | A− | 183 | 22.8/net in gill nets | 12% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Rock Lake | A− | 261 | 22.5/net in gill nets | 17% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Lower Hay Lake | A− | 700 | 11.2/net in gill nets | 6% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Hubert Lake | B+ | 1,301 | 6.6/net in gill nets | 8% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Fish Trap Lake | B+ | 1,164 | 15.5/net in gill nets | 1% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked near Brainerd: 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.