Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes near Duluth
38 surveyed yellow perch 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 8.6 yellow perch per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey and a 11-inch fish the biggest measured. Grand Lake is next at A, 13.8 yellow perch per net in gill nets in its 2019 survey, 34% of the yellow perch netted over 9 inches. Fish Lake Flowage rounds out the top three at A−, a 12-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Island Lake Reservoir | A | 8,001 | 8.6/net in gill nets | 27% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Grand Lake | A | 1,665 | 13.8/net in gill nets | 34% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2019 |
| 3 | Fish Lake Flowage | A− | 3,259 | 12.7/net in gill nets | 2% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Wild Rice Lake | A− | 2,372 | 8.5/net in gill nets | 10% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Boulder Lake | A− | 3,260 | 4.3/net in gill nets | 29% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Hay Lake | B− | 140 | 28.5/net in gill nets | 0% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2021 |
| 7 | Schultz Lake | C+ | 210 | 2.2/net in gill nets | 29% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2012 |
| 8 | Eagle Lake | C+ | 114 | — | 0% | 7" | 0.2 lb | 2016 |
| 9 | Pike Lake | C | 488 | 1.6/net in gill nets | 4% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2019 |
| 10 | Spring Lake | C | 98 | 2/net in gill nets | 30% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2008 |
Also ranked near Duluth: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill
All of Minnesota: Best yellow perch 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.