Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes near St. Paul
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 181 lakes within 25 miles of St. Paul. Of those, 52 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.
Medicine Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 33 bluegill per trap net in the 2023 survey, and the biggest was 9 inches. Long Lake is second at B+, with 65.4 bluegill per trap net in the 2023 survey, and 1% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. Harriet Lake is third at B+, and its biggest bluegill was 8 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Medicine Lake | A− | 924 | 33/net in trap nets | 2% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 2 | Long Lake | B+ | 285 | 65.4/net in trap nets | 1% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 3 | Harriet Lake | B+ | 341 | 64.6/net in trap nets | 2% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Lower Prior Lake | B+ | 956 | 31.6/net in trap nets | 2% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Bde Maka Ska Lake | B+ | 424 | 58.1/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Upper Prior Lake | B+ | 386 | 31.4/net in trap nets | 8% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Christmas Lake | B+ | 267 | 61.7/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 8 | Peltier Lake | B | 552 | 15.4/net in trap nets | 13% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Lotus Lake | B | 245 | 146.6/net in trap nets | 0% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Nokomis Lake | B | 201 | 110.1/net in trap nets | 0% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked near St. Paul: Walleye · Northern pike · Muskellunge · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best bluegill 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.