Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Stearns County
71 surveyed crappie lakes sit in Stearns County; 33 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.
Rice Lake leads at grade A, with 7.6 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2025 survey and a 14-inch fish the biggest measured. Sand Lake is next at A, 318 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2012 survey, 4% of the crappie netted over 10 inches. Koronis (main lake) rounds out the top three at A−, a 12-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Rice Lake | A | 1,513 | 7.6/net in trap nets | 6% | 14" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Sand Lake | A | 209 | 318/net in trap nets | 4% | 11" | — | 2012 |
| 3 | Koronis (main lake) | A− | 2,968 | 2.2/net in trap nets | 28% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Two Rivers Lake | B+ | 584 | 4.7/net in trap nets | 14% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Carnelian Lake | B+ | 180 | 3.6/net in trap nets | 46% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Clear Lake | B+ | 118 | 7.6/net in trap nets | 8% | 11" | 0.4 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Marie Lake | B+ | 146 | 4.8/net in trap nets | 24% | 11" | 0.4 lb | 2019 |
| 8 | Goodners Lake | B | 191 | 11.3/net in trap nets | 0% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2019 |
| 9 | Pelican Lake | B− | 291 | — | 82% | 13" | 0.7 lb | 2023 |
| 10 | Horseshoe Lake | B− | 629 | — | 34% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in Stearns County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie 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.