Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Rice County
18 surveyed crappie lakes sit in Rice County; 13 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.
Cedar Lake leads at grade A, with 15.7 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2025 survey and a 13-inch fish the biggest measured. Hunt Lake is next at A−, 5.2 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2023 survey, 29% of the crappie netted over 10 inches. Wells Lake rounds out the top three at A−, a 13-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Lake | A | 902 | 15.7/net in trap nets | 2% | 13" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Hunt Lake | A− | 176 | 5.2/net in trap nets | 29% | 15" | 0.5 lb | 2023 |
| 3 | Wells Lake | A− | 678 | 3.1/net in trap nets | 32% | 13" | 0.4 lb | 2020 |
| 4 | Cannon Lake | B+ | 1,593 | 2.6/net in trap nets | 4% | 13" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Rice Lake | B+ | 331 | 9.7/net in trap nets | 1% | 11" | 0.1 lb | 2015 |
| 6 | Roberds Lake | B+ | 632 | 2.4/net in trap nets | 9% | 14" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | French Lake | B+ | 876 | 2.6/net in trap nets | 4% | 13" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Shields Lake | B | 941 | 1.4/net in trap nets | 9% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
| 9 | Kelly & Dudley Lake | B | 128 | 4.6/net in trap nets | 6% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 10 | Fox Lake | B− | 312 | 2.2/net in trap nets | 10% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked in Rice County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie 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.