Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in Scott County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 22 lakes in Scott County. The 9 ranked below are the ones that earn a grade on this site. Grades come from survey catch rates, fish size and trophy history, scored the same way for every lake on the live map.
Cedar Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 22.8 bluegill per trap net in the 2021 survey, and the biggest was 10 inches. Spring Lake is second at B+, with 39.4 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 1% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. McMahon Lake is third at B+, and its biggest bluegill was 9 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Lake | A− | 793 | 22.8/net in trap nets | 31% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2021 |
| 2 | Spring Lake | B+ | 592 | 39.4/net in trap nets | 1% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | McMahon Lake | B+ | 187 | 42/net in trap nets | 5% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Lower Prior Lake | B+ | 956 | 31.6/net in trap nets | 2% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Upper Prior Lake | B+ | 386 | 31.4/net in trap nets | 8% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Fish Lake | B+ | 176 | 41.8/net in trap nets | 8% | 8" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Thole Lake | B− | 119 | 65/net in trap nets | 0% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2023 |
| 8 | O'Dowd Lake | B− | 301 | 22.4/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 9 | Cleary Lake | B− | 145 | 31/net in trap nets | 0% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2017 |
Also ranked in Scott 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.