Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best smallmouth bass lakes near St. Cloud
The DNR has surveyed smallmouth bass in 31 lakes within 25 miles of St. Cloud. Of those, 12 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.
Elk Lake is first at B+. The DNR caught 18.1 smallmouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2019 survey, and the biggest was 19 inches. Locke Lake is second at B, with 35.8 smallmouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and none of its smallmouth bass measured over 15 inches. Horseshoe Lake is third at B−, and its biggest smallmouth bass was 19 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Lake | B+ | 357 | 18.1/hr in electrofishing | 71% | 19" | — | 2019 |
| 2 | Locke Lake | B | 140 | 35.8/hr in electrofishing | 0% | 13" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Horseshoe Lake | B− | 629 | 4/hr in electrofishing | 44% | 19" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Big Lake | B− | 458 | — | 100% | 17" | 2.4 lb | 2017 |
| 5 | Cedar Island Lake | C+ | 986 | 2.4/hr in electrofishing | 80% | 19" | — | 2025 |
| 6 | Bolfing Lake | C+ | 109 | — | 0% | 11" | 0.6 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Pleasant Lake | C+ | 218 | — | 0% | 2" | — | 2024 |
| 8 | Long Lake | C+ | 487 | — | 0% | 9" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Two Rivers Lake | C | 584 | 2.2/hr in electrofishing | 80% | 19" | — | 2024 |
| 10 | Little Rock Lake | C | 1,311 | 1/hr in electrofishing | 0% | — | — | 2025 |
Also ranked near St. Cloud: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best smallmouth bass 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.