Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes near St. Cloud
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 125 lakes within 25 miles of St. Cloud. Of those, 67 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.
Sugar Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 10.3 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 38 inches. Clearwater Lake is second at A, with 9.1 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 6% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. Grand Lake is third at A, and its biggest northern pike was 34 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Sugar Lake | A | 1,014 | 10.3/net in gill nets | 10% | 38" | 2.1 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Clearwater Lake | A | 3,187 | 9.1/net in gill nets | 6% | 33" | 2.6 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Grand Lake | A | 651 | 18.1/net in gill nets | 5% | 34" | 2.7 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Two Rivers Lake | A− | 584 | 13.1/net in gill nets | 9% | 35" | 3.1 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Big Spunk Lake | A− | 415 | 20.7/net in gill nets | 2% | 33" | 1.9 lb | 2023 |
| 6 | Bass Lake | A− | 223 | 16/net in gill nets | 6% | 37" | 2.8 lb | 2017 |
| 7 | French Lake | A− | 346 | 18.5/net in gill nets | 3% | 34" | 2.8 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | North Brown's Lake | A− | 312 | 17.8/net in gill nets | 4% | 33" | 2.2 lb | 2024 |
| 9 | Cedar Lake | A− | 790 | 12.2/net in gill nets | 3% | 31" | 2.9 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Lower Spunk Lake | B+ | 179 | 18/net in gill nets | 6% | 33" | 2.1 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked near St. Cloud: Walleye · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth 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.