Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes near Willmar
The DNR has surveyed largemouth bass in 34 lakes within 25 miles of Willmar. Of those, 23 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.
East Solomon Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 104.4 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 21 inches. Long Lake is second at A, with 60.5 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and 35% of its largemouth bass measured over 15 inches. Andrew Lake is third at A−, and its biggest largemouth bass was 19 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Solomon Lake | A+ | 658 | 104.4/hr in electrofishing | 26% | 21" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Long Lake | A | 1,573 | 60.5/hr in electrofishing | 35% | 18" | — | 2025 |
| 3 | Andrew Lake | A− | 759 | 70.5/hr in electrofishing | 11% | 19" | 0.9 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Games Lake | A− | 527 | 55.5/hr in electrofishing | 24% | 19" | 1.9 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Monson Lake | A− | 208 | 65.5/hr in electrofishing | 54% | 19" | 2.2 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Ringo Lake | B+ | 735 | 29.3/hr in electrofishing | 37% | 20" | 2.3 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Eagle Lake | B+ | 850 | 30.9/hr in electrofishing | 20% | 18" | 0.9 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Diamond Lake | B | 1,610 | 24.6/hr in electrofishing | 0% | — | — | 2025 |
| 9 | Ripley (west portion) Lake | B | 614 | — | 43% | 21" | 1.2 lb | 2023 |
| 10 | Big Kandiyohi Lake | B− | 2,730 | 9.8/hr in electrofishing | 0% | — | — | 2024 |
Also ranked near Willmar: Walleye · Northern pike · Smallmouth bass · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best largemouth 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.