Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best yellow perch lakes in St. Louis County
377 surveyed yellow perch lakes sit in St. Louis County; 131 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.
Vermilion Lake leads at grade A+, with 27.6 yellow perch per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey and a 12-inch fish the biggest measured. Black Duck Lake is next at A+, 56.7 yellow perch per net in gill nets in its 2023 survey, 12% of the yellow perch netted over 9 inches. Rainy Lake rounds out the top three at A+, a 12-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 9" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Vermilion Lake | A+ | 39,272 | 27.6/net in gill nets | 21% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Black Duck Lake | A+ | 1,250 | 56.7/net in gill nets | 12% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 3 | Rainy Lake | A+ | 210,200 | 9.4/net in gill nets | 1% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Pelican Lake | A | 11,546 | 14.9/net in gill nets | 4% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2022 |
| 5 | Shagawa Lake | A | 2,345 | 33.9/net in gill nets | 7% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2022 |
| 6 | Kabetogama Lake | A | 24,034 | 12.1/net in gill nets | 1% | 13" | 0.3 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Ash Lake | A | 690 | 86.7/net in gill nets | 3% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2023 |
| 8 | Cadotte Lake | A | 294 | 39.2/net in gill nets | 14% | 14" | 0.2 lb | 2020 |
| 9 | Moose Lake | A | 228 | 39.1/net in gill nets | 56% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2019 |
| 10 | Dovre Lake | A | 116 | 59.2/net in gill nets | 39% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2011 |
Also ranked in St. Louis County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill
All of Minnesota: Best yellow perch 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.