Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best smallmouth bass lakes in Stearns County
The DNR has surveyed smallmouth bass in 21 lakes in Stearns County. Of those, 11 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.
Koronis (main lake) is first at B. Its biggest smallmouth bass in the survey was 20 inches. Horseshoe Lake is second at B−, with 4 smallmouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2025 survey, and 44% of its smallmouth bass measured over 15 inches. Rice Lake is third at B−, and its biggest smallmouth bass was 18 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Koronis (main lake) | B | 2,968 | — | 44% | 20" | 1.8 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Horseshoe Lake | B− | 629 | 4/hr in electrofishing | 44% | 19" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Rice Lake | B− | 1,513 | — | 55% | 18" | 2 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Big Lake | B− | 458 | — | 100% | 17" | 2.4 lb | 2017 |
| 5 | Cedar Island Lake | C+ | 986 | 2.4/hr in electrofishing | 80% | 19" | — | 2025 |
| 6 | Bolfing Lake | C+ | 109 | — | 0% | 11" | 0.6 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Pleasant Lake | C+ | 218 | — | 0% | 2" | — | 2024 |
| 8 | Long Lake | C+ | 487 | — | 0% | 9" | 0.4 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Two Rivers Lake | C | 584 | 2.2/hr in electrofishing | 80% | 19" | — | 2024 |
| 10 | Zumwalde Lake | C− | 128 | 2.4/hr in electrofishing | 80% | 19" | — | 2024 |
Also ranked in Stearns 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.