Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best walleye lakes near Willmar
The DNR has surveyed walleye in 37 lakes within 25 miles of Willmar. Of those, 30 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.
Koronis (main lake) is first at A+. The DNR caught 22.3 walleye per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 28 inches. Diamond Lake is second at A, with 30.3 walleye per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 20% of its walleye measured over 20 inches. Minnetaga Lake is third at A, and its biggest walleye was 27 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 20" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koronis (main lake) | A+ | 2,968 | 22.3/net in gill nets | 8% | 28" | 1.8 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Diamond Lake | A | 1,610 | 30.3/net in gill nets | 20% | 27" | 2.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Minnetaga Lake | A | 791 | 40.3/net in gill nets | 4% | 27" | 1.1 lb | 2021 |
| 4 | Green Lake | A | 5,569 | 9.1/net in gill nets | 9% | 28" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Big Kandiyohi Lake | A | 2,730 | 18/net in gill nets | 51% | 25" | 3 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Long Lake | A | 1,573 | 12/net in gill nets | 12% | 27" | 2.7 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Florida Lake | A | 705 | 13.2/net in gill nets | 35% | 27" | 2.1 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Wakanda Lake | A | 1,760 | 35.2/net in gill nets | 11% | 23" | 1.7 lb | 2024 |
| 9 | Norway Lake | A− | 2,339 | 8.6/net in gill nets | 18% | 25" | 1.7 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Long Lake | A− | 783 | 13/net in gill nets | 32% | 24" | 2.6 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked near Willmar: Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best walleye 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.