Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Scott County
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 21 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 66.5 crappie per trap net in the 2021 survey, and the biggest was 12 inches. Upper Prior Lake is second at A−, with 7.2 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 6% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Spring Lake is third at A−, and its biggest crappie was 10 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Cedar Lake | A | 793 | 66.5/net in trap nets | 0% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2021 |
| 2 | Upper Prior Lake | A− | 386 | 7.2/net in trap nets | 6% | 14" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Spring Lake | A− | 592 | 47.3/net in trap nets | 1% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | McMahon Lake | B+ | 187 | 14.7/net in trap nets | 2% | 10" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | O'Dowd Lake | B+ | 301 | 7/net in trap nets | 2% | 10" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 6 | Thole Lake | B | 119 | 4.8/net in trap nets | 5% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2023 |
| 7 | Lower Prior Lake | B | 956 | 1.5/net in trap nets | 8% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Fish Lake | C | 176 | 1.9/net in trap nets | 8% | 14" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Cleary Lake | C− | 145 | 1.8/net in trap nets | 0% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2017 |
Also ranked in Scott County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie 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.