Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in Sherburne County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 22 lakes in Sherburne County. The 10 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.
Elk Lake is first at B+. The DNR caught 31.8 bluegill per trap net in the 2017 survey, and the biggest was 9 inches. Ann Lake is second at B, with 103 bluegill per trap net in the 2019 survey, and none of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. Birch Lake is third at B−, and its biggest bluegill was 7 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Elk Lake | B+ | 362 | 31.8/net in trap nets | 1% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2017 |
| 2 | Ann Lake | B | 183 | 103/net in trap nets | 0% | 8" | 0.1 lb | 2019 |
| 3 | Birch Lake | B− | 160 | 69.9/net in trap nets | 0% | 7" | 0.1 lb | 2019 |
| 4 | Mitchell Lake | C+ | 170 | 19.7/net in trap nets | 2% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2019 |
| 5 | Rush Lake | C+ | 161 | — | 25% | 8" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Julia Lake | C+ | 155 | — | 0% | 7" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Orono Lake | C+ | 301 | — | 0% | 7" | — | 2021 |
| 8 | Briggs Lake | C+ | 404 | — | 0% | 3" | — | 2024 |
| 9 | Big Lake | C− | 254 | 9.8/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2017 |
| 10 | Elk Lake | C− | 357 | 8.8/net in trap nets | 0% | 7" | 0.2 lb | 2019 |
Also ranked in Sherburne 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.