Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in Stearns County
74 surveyed northern pike lakes sit in Stearns County; 38 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.
Koronis (main lake) leads at grade A, with 8 northern pike per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey and a 37-inch fish the biggest measured. Grand Lake is next at A, 18.1 northern pike per net in gill nets in its 2025 survey, 5% of the northern pike netted over 30 inches. Rice Lake rounds out the top three at A, a 34-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koronis (main lake) | A | 2,968 | 8/net in gill nets | 19% | 37" | 4.1 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Grand Lake | A | 651 | 18.1/net in gill nets | 5% | 34" | 2.7 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Rice Lake | A | 1,513 | 10.3/net in gill nets | 13% | 34" | 3.5 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Two Rivers Lake | A− | 584 | 13.1/net in gill nets | 9% | 35" | 3.1 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Big Spunk Lake | A− | 415 | 20.7/net in gill nets | 2% | 33" | 1.9 lb | 2023 |
| 6 | North Brown's Lake | A− | 312 | 17.8/net in gill nets | 4% | 33" | 2.2 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Lower Spunk Lake | B+ | 179 | 18/net in gill nets | 6% | 33" | 2.1 lb | 2023 |
| 8 | Carnelian Lake | B+ | 180 | 15.7/net in gill nets | 3% | 37" | 1.5 lb | 2024 |
| 9 | Pearl Lake | B+ | 753 | 9.4/net in gill nets | 5% | 32" | 2 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Big Lake | B+ | 458 | 9.8/net in gill nets | 4% | 33" | 2 lb | 2017 |
Also ranked in Stearns 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.