Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes in St. Louis County
The DNR has surveyed largemouth bass in 215 lakes in St. Louis County. Of those, 77 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.
Pelican Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 42.9 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2022 survey, and the biggest was 18 inches. Fish Lake Flowage is second at A−, with 21.9 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and 21% of its largemouth bass measured over 15 inches. Wolf Lake is third at A−, and its biggest largemouth bass was 19 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pelican Lake | A | 11,546 | 42.9/hr in electrofishing | 39% | 18" | 1.9 lb | 2022 |
| 2 | Fish Lake Flowage | A− | 3,259 | 21.9/hr in electrofishing | 21% | 20" | 1.1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Wolf Lake | A− | 289 | 64.5/hr in electrofishing | 53% | 19" | 1.8 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Floodwood Lake | A− | 314 | 94/hr in electrofishing | 11% | 17" | 0.5 lb | 2008 |
| 5 | Schultz Lake | B+ | 210 | 113.5/hr in electrofishing | 9% | 17" | 0.5 lb | 2012 |
| 6 | Armstrong Lake | B+ | 382 | 94.7/hr in electrofishing | 6% | 17" | 0.6 lb | 2021 |
| 7 | Twin Lake | B+ | 224 | 79/hr in electrofishing | 16% | 17" | 0.8 lb | 2021 |
| 8 | Wild Rice Lake | B+ | 2,372 | 17.5/hr in electrofishing | 31% | 19" | 2.2 lb | 2024 |
| 9 | Dinham Lake | B+ | 202 | 67.4/hr in electrofishing | 25% | 18" | 1.2 lb | 2018 |
| 10 | Myrtle Lake | B+ | 876 | 44.3/hr in electrofishing | 0% | 12" | 0.9 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in St. Louis County: Walleye · Northern pike · Smallmouth bass · 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.