Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best smallmouth bass lakes in St. Louis County
The DNR has surveyed smallmouth bass in 122 lakes in St. Louis County. Of those, 76 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 33.3 smallmouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 19 inches. Black Duck Lake is second at A, with 233.4 smallmouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2023 survey, and 5% of its smallmouth bass measured over 15 inches. Vermilion Lake is third at A, and its biggest smallmouth bass was 18 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rainy Lake | A | 210,200 | 33.3/hr in electrofishing | 4% | 19" | 1.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Black Duck Lake | A | 1,250 | 233.4/hr in electrofishing | 5% | 19" | 1.7 lb | 2023 |
| 3 | Vermilion Lake | A | 39,272 | 94.2/hr in electrofishing | 8% | 18" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Ash Lake | A | 690 | 189.3/hr in electrofishing | 6% | 18" | 1.3 lb | 2023 |
| 5 | Crane Lake | A | 2,921 | 26.5/hr in electrofishing | 16% | 19" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Kabetogama Lake | A− | 24,034 | 24.3/hr in electrofishing | 3% | 19" | 1.4 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Pelican Lake | A− | 11,546 | 19.5/hr in electrofishing | 34% | 17" | 1.6 lb | 2022 |
| 8 | Eagles Nest #3 Lake | A− | 1,028 | 35.2/hr in electrofishing | 47% | 19" | 1.7 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Low Lake | A− | 316 | 56.7/hr in electrofishing | 25% | 19" | 1.8 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Elephant Lake | A− | 728 | 44.2/hr in electrofishing | 17% | 18" | 1.9 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in St. Louis County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best smallmouth 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.