Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes near St. Cloud
121 surveyed largemouth bass lakes sit within 25 miles of St. Cloud; 67 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.
Cedar Lake leads at grade A, with 78 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in its 2024 survey and a 20-inch fish the biggest measured. West Lake Sylvia is next at A, 84.1 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in its 2025 survey, 9% of the largemouth bass netted over 15 inches. Long Lake rounds out the top three at A, a 20-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Lake | A | 790 | 78/hr in electrofishing | 42% | 20" | 1 lb | 2024 |
| 2 | West Lake Sylvia | A | 904 | 84.1/hr in electrofishing | 9% | 21" | 0.9 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Long Lake | A | 174 | 115.5/hr in electrofishing | 26% | 20" | 1 lb | 2007 |
| 4 | School Section Lake | A− | 211 | 124/hr in electrofishing | 30% | 18" | 1.2 lb | 2018 |
| 5 | Indian Lake | A− | 139 | 125.5/hr in electrofishing | 11% | 21" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Carnelian Lake | A− | 180 | 127.1/hr in electrofishing | 18% | 18" | 0.7 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Big Lake | A− | 458 | 82.2/hr in electrofishing | 5% | 19" | 0.7 lb | 2017 |
| 8 | Grand Lake | B+ | 651 | 48/hr in electrofishing | 18% | 18" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Ida Lake | B+ | 226 | 69.9/hr in electrofishing | 16% | 19" | 0.3 lb | 2022 |
| 10 | Mary Lake | B+ | 196 | 53.6/hr in electrofishing | 48% | 21" | 2.3 lb | 2017 |
Also ranked near St. Cloud: Walleye · Northern pike · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best largemouth bass 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.