Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in St. Louis County
378 surveyed northern pike lakes sit in St. Louis County; 119 cleared this site's grade rubric, which reads DNR survey catch rates, size structure and trophy history the same way the live map does for every lake. The top 10 are ranked here.
Rainy Lake leads at grade A+, with 1.9 northern pike per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey and a 41-inch fish the biggest measured. Kabetogama Lake is next at A+, 3.4 northern pike per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey, 18% of the northern pike netted over 30 inches. Sand Lake rounds out the top three at A, a 36-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | 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 this site's rubric over Minnesota DNR survey data (catch per unit effort against DNR benchmarks, size structure, trophy history). See any lake's page for the underlying numbers. Survey years vary by lake; the table shows each lake's latest.