Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes near St. Paul
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 153 lakes within 25 miles of St. Paul. Of those, 49 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.
Forest Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 8.7 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 36 inches. Medicine Lake is second at A, with 13.6 northern pike per gill net in the 2023 survey, and 15% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. White Bear Lake is third at A, and its biggest northern pike was 32 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forest Lake | A | 2,271 | 8.7/net in gill nets | 13% | 36" | 3.7 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Medicine Lake | A | 924 | 13.6/net in gill nets | 15% | 36" | 2.9 lb | 2023 |
| 3 | White Bear Lake | A | 2,428 | 10.9/net in gill nets | 4% | 32" | 1.8 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Peltier Lake | A− | 552 | 13.4/net in gill nets | 5% | 36" | 2.9 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Eagle Lake | A− | 296 | 15.7/net in gill nets | 11% | 36" | 3.5 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Coon Lake | A− | 1,481 | 26.5/net in gill nets | 1% | 30" | 2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Centerville Lake | A− | 474 | 10/net in gill nets | 30% | 36" | 4.7 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Staring Lake | B+ | 167 | 13.8/net in gill nets | 17% | 37" | 4.1 lb | 2022 |
| 9 | Riley Lake | B+ | 296 | 9.8/net in gill nets | 24% | 38" | 4.2 lb | 2021 |
| 10 | Bald Eagle Lake | B+ | 1,049 | 6.2/net in gill nets | 8% | 33" | 3.2 lb | 2022 |
Also ranked near St. Paul: Walleye · Muskellunge · 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.