Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Stearns County
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 71 lakes in Stearns County. Of those, 33 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.
Rice Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 7.6 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 14 inches. Sand Lake is second at A, with 318 crappie per trap net in the 2012 survey, and 4% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Koronis (main lake) is third at A−, and its biggest crappie was 12 inches.
| # | 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 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.