Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes near Mankato
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 41 lakes within 25 miles of Mankato. Of those, 24 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 14.2 northern pike per gill net in the 2023 survey, and the biggest was 32 inches. Madison Lake is second at A, with 7 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 26% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. Tetonka Lake is third at A−, and its biggest northern pike was 33 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Lura Lake | A | 1,359 | 14.2/net in gill nets | 8% | 32" | 4 lb | 2023 |
| 2 | Madison Lake | A | 1,447 | 7/net in gill nets | 26% | 39" | 5.2 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Tetonka Lake | A− | 1,358 | 6.6/net in gill nets | 12% | 33" | 3.8 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Frances Lake | B+ | 927 | 7.9/net in gill nets | 2% | 35" | 1.3 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Sabre Lake | B+ | 258 | 9.1/net in gill nets | 6% | 41" | 2.4 lb | 2021 |
| 6 | Clear Lake | B+ | 279 | 7.4/net in gill nets | 28% | 36" | 5 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | East Jefferson Lake | B+ | 685 | 5.8/net in gill nets | 9% | 34" | 2.5 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | German Lake | B | 889 | 4.4/net in gill nets | 7% | 35" | 3.4 lb | 2024 |
| 9 | Reeds Lake | B | 195 | 9.5/net in gill nets | 5% | 38" | 2.9 lb | 2022 |
| 10 | Sunfish Lake | B | 121 | 10/net in gill nets | 17% | 33" | 4.9 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked near Mankato: 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.