Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes near Mankato
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 43 lakes within 25 miles of Mankato. Of those, 28 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.
Lura Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 33.7 crappie per trap net in the 2023 survey, and the biggest was 14 inches. Duck Lake is second at A+, with 26.2 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 10% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Crystal Lake is third at A+, and its biggest crappie was 15 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lura Lake | A+ | 1,359 | 33.7/net in trap nets | 5% | 14" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 2 | Duck Lake | A+ | 290 | 26.2/net in trap nets | 10% | 17" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Crystal Lake | A+ | 379 | 15.7/net in trap nets | 12% | 15" | 0.9 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Elysian (Main Lake) | A | 2,215 | 5.8/net in trap nets | 11% | 15" | 0.6 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Washington Lake | A | 1,516 | 8.5/net in trap nets | 14% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | West Jefferson Lake | A | 439 | 56.8/net in trap nets | 6% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | East Jefferson Lake | A | 685 | 26.3/net in trap nets | 7% | 14" | 0.9 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Mills Lake | A | 237 | 39.6/net in trap nets | 5% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2007 |
| 9 | Bass Lake | A | 199 | 44.8/net in trap nets | 1% | 15" | 2.1 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Loon Lake | A | 809 | 9.7/net in trap nets | 29% | 12" | 0.5 lb | 2022 |
Also ranked near Mankato: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie 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.