Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in Pine County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 46 lakes in Pine County. Of those, 13 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.
Island Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 41.1 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 9 inches. Sturgeon Lake is second at A−, with 12 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 44% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. Sand Lake is third at B+, and its biggest bluegill was 10 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Island Lake | A− | 527 | 41.1/net in trap nets | 12% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Sturgeon Lake | A− | 1,706 | 12/net in trap nets | 44% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Sand Lake | B+ | 527 | 20.6/net in trap nets | 7% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Pokegama Lake | B− | 1,522 | 3.6/net in trap nets | 38% | 10" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Cross Lake | B− | 925 | 4.4/net in trap nets | 52% | 10" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Big Pine Lake | B− | 399 | 10.1/net in trap nets | 5% | 18" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Grindstone Lake | B− | 533 | 11.8/net in trap nets | 3% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Fox Lake | B− | 200 | 13.9/net in trap nets | 37% | 8" | 0.3 lb | 2014 |
| 9 | Oak Lake | C+ | 459 | 16/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 10 | Upper Pine Lake | C+ | 233 | 20.8/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
Also ranked in Pine County: Walleye · Northern pike · 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.