Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in St. Louis County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 277 lakes in St. Louis County. Of those, 103 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.
High Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 108.8 bluegill per trap net in the 2024 survey, and the biggest was 10 inches. Vermilion Lake is second at A, with 14.3 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and 12% of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. Bass Lake is third at A, and its biggest bluegill was 10 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | High Lake | A | 274 | 108.8/net in trap nets | 8% | 10" | — | 2024 |
| 2 | Vermilion Lake | A | 39,272 | 14.3/net in trap nets | 12% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Bass Lake | A | 244 | 63.6/net in trap nets | 25% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Low Lake | A− | 316 | 45.7/net in trap nets | 22% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Wild Rice Lake | A− | 2,372 | 11.3/net in trap nets | 45% | 9" | 0.4 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Fish Lake Flowage | B+ | 3,259 | 10.4/net in trap nets | 11% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Bear Island Lake | B+ | 2,363 | 10.7/net in trap nets | 13% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Half Moon Lake | B+ | 162 | 107.1/net in trap nets | 1% | 8" | — | 2011 |
| 9 | Fourteen Lake | B+ | 386 | 36.8/net in trap nets | 2% | 9" | — | 2010 |
| 10 | Bear Head Lake | B+ | 662 | 24.8/net in trap nets | 3% | 9" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in St. Louis County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth 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.