Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes in Rice County
The DNR has surveyed largemouth bass in 17 lakes in Rice County. Of those, 12 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.
Cannon Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 73.1 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 20 inches. Cedar Lake is second at A−, with 36.7 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and 18% of its largemouth bass measured over 15 inches. Roberds Lake is third at A−, and its biggest largemouth bass was 18 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cannon Lake | A+ | 1,593 | 73.1/hr in electrofishing | 59% | 20" | 0.6 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Cedar Lake | A− | 902 | 36.7/hr in electrofishing | 18% | 20" | 1.2 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Roberds Lake | A− | 632 | 59.9/hr in electrofishing | 24% | 18" | 2.6 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Shields Lake | A− | 941 | 44.4/hr in electrofishing | 25% | 18" | 2.2 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Mazaska Lake | B+ | 688 | 38.1/hr in electrofishing | 45% | 18" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Lower Sakatah Lake | C+ | 372 | — | 50% | 15" | 1.4 lb | 2020 |
| 7 | Caron Lake | C+ | 319 | — | 0% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2017 |
| 8 | Rice Lake | C+ | 331 | — | 0% | 14" | 0.5 lb | 2015 |
| 9 | Wells Lake | C+ | 678 | — | 0% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2020 |
| 10 | Hunt Lake | C | 176 | 16.8/hr in electrofishing | 72% | 20" | 3.1 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked in Rice County: Walleye · Northern pike · Crappie · Bluegill · 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.