Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes near Duluth
35 surveyed crappie lakes sit within 25 miles of Duluth; 13 cleared this site's grade rubric, which reads DNR survey catch rates, size structure and trophy history the same way the live map does for every lake. The top 10 are ranked here.
Island Lake Reservoir leads at grade A−, with 1.1 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2025 survey and a 14-inch fish the biggest measured. West Twin Lake is next at A−, 25 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2015 survey, 3% of the crappie netted over 10 inches. Wild Rice Lake rounds out the top three at A−, a 12-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Island Lake Reservoir | A− | 8,001 | 1.1/net in trap nets | 65% | 14" | 0.7 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | West Twin Lake | A− | 121 | 25/net in trap nets | 3% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2015 |
| 3 | Wild Rice Lake | A− | 2,372 | 2.5/net in trap nets | 41% | 12" | 0.5 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Grand Lake | A− | 1,665 | 3.6/net in trap nets | 10% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2019 |
| 5 | Fish Lake Flowage | A− | 3,259 | 3.1/net in trap nets | 30% | 11" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Chub Lake | B+ | 313 | 8.7/net in trap nets | 5% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2020 |
| 7 | Little Grand Lake | B+ | 176 | 4/net in trap nets | 36% | 11" | 0.4 lb | 2008 |
| 8 | Boulder Lake | B | 3,260 | 0.6/net in trap nets | 54% | 13" | 0.7 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Fond du Lac Reservoir | B | 201 | 3.1/net in trap nets | 29% | 11" | 0.6 lb | 2015 |
| 10 | Caribou Lake | B | 539 | 3.3/net in trap nets | 1% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked near Duluth: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie lakes in Minnesota
Grades are this site's rubric over Minnesota DNR survey data (catch per unit effort against DNR benchmarks, size structure, trophy history). See any lake's page for the underlying numbers. Survey years vary by lake; the table shows each lake's latest.