Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes near Duluth
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 35 lakes within 25 miles of Duluth. Of those, 12 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.
Wild Rice Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 11.8 northern pike per gill net in the 2024 survey, and the biggest was 32 inches. Grand Lake is second at A−, with 20 northern pike per gill net in the 2019 survey, and 1% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. Fish Lake Flowage is third at B+, and its biggest northern pike was 30 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Wild Rice Lake | A− | 2,372 | 11.8/net in gill nets | 2% | 32" | 1.7 lb | 2024 |
| 2 | Grand Lake | A− | 1,665 | 20/net in gill nets | 1% | 30" | 1.6 lb | 2019 |
| 3 | Fish Lake Flowage | B+ | 3,259 | 7.4/net in gill nets | 1% | 30" | 2 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Caribou Lake | B | 539 | 11.7/net in gill nets | 0% | 28" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Chub Lake | B | 313 | 13.1/net in gill nets | 1% | 31" | 1.5 lb | 2020 |
| 6 | Boulder Lake | C | 3,260 | 2.6/net in gill nets | 0% | 23" | 1.3 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Hay Lake | C | 140 | 4.7/net in gill nets | 10% | 39" | 2.2 lb | 2021 |
| 8 | Little Grand Lake | C | 176 | 9.8/net in gill nets | 0% | 29" | 1.8 lb | 2008 |
| 9 | West Twin Lake | C | 121 | 6.2/net in gill nets | 3% | 36" | 2.8 lb | 2015 |
| 10 | Pike Lake | C | 488 | 1.1/net in gill nets | 45% | 39" | 6.7 lb | 2019 |
Also ranked near Duluth: Walleye · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best northern pike 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.