Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in St. Louis County
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 378 lakes in St. Louis County. Of those, 119 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.
Rainy Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 1.9 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 41 inches. Kabetogama Lake is second at A+, with 3.4 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 18% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. Sand Lake is third at A, and its biggest northern pike was 36 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rainy Lake | A+ | 210,200 | 1.9/net in gill nets | 16% | 41" | 3.4 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Kabetogama Lake | A+ | 24,034 | 3.4/net in gill nets | 18% | 40" | 3.6 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Sand Lake | A | 779 | 19.3/net in gill nets | 3% | 36" | 3 lb | 2023 |
| 4 | Moose Lake | A | 929 | 12.5/net in gill nets | 10% | 36" | 2.5 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Lac la Croix Lake | A | 29,597 | 2.1/net in gill nets | 7% | 39" | 2.7 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Namakan Lake | A− | 24,066 | 2.1/net in gill nets | 10% | 40" | 3.2 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Burntside Lake | A− | 7,314 | 2.8/net in gill nets | 11% | 40" | 3 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Wild Rice Lake | A− | 2,372 | 11.8/net in gill nets | 2% | 32" | 1.7 lb | 2024 |
| 9 | Sand Point Lake | A− | 8,527 | 3.5/net in gill nets | 5% | 42" | 3 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Whitewater Lake | A− | 1,212 | 7.2/net in gill nets | 5% | 41" | 1.7 lb | 2023 |
Also ranked in St. Louis County: Walleye · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best northern pike 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.