Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes near Grand Rapids
207 surveyed yellow perch lakes sit within 25 miles of Grand Rapids; 65 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.
Little Bowstring Lake leads at grade A, with 116.5 yellow perch per net in gill nets in its 2022 survey and a 10-inch fish the biggest measured. Upper Panasa Lake is next at A, 130.3 yellow perch per net in gill nets in its 2014 survey, 1% of the yellow perch netted over 9 inches. Deer Lake rounds out the top three at A−, a 10-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Bowstring Lake | A | 327 | 116.5/net in gill nets | 2% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2022 |
| 2 | Upper Panasa Lake | A | 148 | 130.3/net in gill nets | 1% | 10" | — | 2014 |
| 3 | Deer Lake | A− | 4,094 | 10.5/net in gill nets | 13% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Pokegama Lake | A− | 6,721 | 7.2/net in gill nets | 4% | 11" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Moose Lake | A− | 1,273 | 37.5/net in gill nets | 1% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Bass Lake | A− | 2,715 | 7.1/net in gill nets | 10% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Island Lake | A− | 285 | 38.8/net in gill nets | 1% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | King Lake | A− | 311 | 25/net in gill nets | 4% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2009 |
| 9 | Grave Lake | A− | 525 | 18.6/net in gill nets | 5% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 10 | Trout Lake | B+ | 1,862 | 9.5/net in gill nets | 1% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked near Grand Rapids: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth 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.