Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best walleye lakes near St. Paul
103 surveyed walleye lakes sit within 25 miles of St. Paul; 31 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.
Forest Lake leads at grade A, with 7.3 walleye per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey and a 27-inch fish the biggest measured. East Vadnais Lake is next at A−, 11.5 walleye per net in gill nets in its 2014 survey, 29% of the walleye netted over 20 inches. Lotus Lake rounds out the top three at B+, a 27-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 20" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forest Lake | A | 2,271 | 7.3/net in gill nets | 31% | 27" | 2.3 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | East Vadnais Lake | A− | 393 | 11.5/net in gill nets | 29% | 27" | 2.1 lb | 2014 |
| 3 | Lotus Lake | B+ | 245 | 10/net in gill nets | 24% | 27" | 1.9 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Nokomis Lake | B+ | 201 | 12.2/net in gill nets | 24% | 24" | 2.2 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Bald Eagle Lake | B+ | 1,049 | 4.2/net in gill nets | 31% | 26" | 2 lb | 2022 |
| 6 | Upper Prior Lake | B+ | 386 | 6/net in gill nets | 29% | 27" | 2.1 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Turtle Lake | B+ | 450 | 7/net in gill nets | 15% | 25" | 1.9 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Clear Lake | B+ | 429 | 7.5/net in gill nets | 4% | 27" | 1.3 lb | 2024 |
| 9 | Pleasant Lake | B+ | 607 | 7.5/net in gill nets | 9% | 22" | 1.4 lb | 2020 |
| 10 | Owasso Lake | B | 375 | 4.8/net in gill nets | 41% | 26" | 2.4 lb | 2024 |
Also ranked near St. Paul: Northern pike · Muskellunge · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best walleye 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.