Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best walleye lakes in Minnesota
The DNR has surveyed walleye in 2,281 Minnesota lakes. Of those, 1,388 earn a grade on this site, and the top 25 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.
Leech Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 8.8 walleye per gill net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 31 inches. Lake of the Woods is second at A+, with 15.7 walleye per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 19% of its walleye measured over 20 inches. Red (Upper Red) Lake is third at A+, and its biggest walleye was 29 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 20" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Leech Lake | A+ | 103,444 | 8.8/net in gill nets | 11% | 31" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Lake of the Woods | A+ | 725,583 | 15.7/net in gill nets | 19% | 31" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | Red (Upper Red) Lake | A+ | 119,294 | 45.1/net in gill nets | 0% | 29" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Rainy Lake | A+ | 210,200 | 6.1/net in gill nets | 7% | 31" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
| 5 | Basswood Lake | A+ | 25,953 | 15.4/net in gill nets | 15% | 29" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Vermilion Lake | A+ | 39,272 | 16.4/net in gill nets | 4% | 29" | 1.1 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Mille Lacs Lake | A+ | 128,250 | 11.9/net in gill nets | 10% | 28" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
| 8 | Traverse Lake | A+ | 10,849 | 26.9/net in gill nets | 6% | 28" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Cass Lake | A+ | 15,958 | 10.3/net in gill nets | 13% | 28" | 1.5 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Sarah Lake | A+ | 1,209 | 42.3/net in gill nets | 19% | 28" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
| 11 | Lake Miltona | A+ | 5,731 | 10.8/net in gill nets | 15% | 28" | 1.6 lb | 2023 |
| 12 | Koronis (main lake) | A+ | 2,968 | 22.3/net in gill nets | 8% | 28" | 1.8 lb | 2025 |
| 13 | Pelican Lake | A+ | 11,546 | 6.8/net in gill nets | 22% | 29" | 2 lb | 2022 |
| 14 | Otter Tail Lake | A+ | 14,079 | 10.4/net in gill nets | 10% | 28" | 1.2 lb | 2024 |
| 15 | Birch Lake | A | 7,074 | 10.2/net in gill nets | 7% | 28" | 1 lb | 2025 |
| 16 | Wild Rice Lake | A | 2,372 | 15.9/net in gill nets | 11% | 28" | 1.6 lb | 2024 |
| 17 | Benton Lake | A | 2,700 | 12.8/net in gill nets | 31% | 28" | 1.8 lb | 2025 |
| 18 | Marion Lake | A | 520 | 26.6/net in gill nets | 16% | 29" | 1.8 lb | 2025 |
| 19 | Big Stone Lake | A | 11,984 | 7.8/net in gill nets | 35% | 28" | 2.7 lb | 2025 |
| 20 | Pelican Lake | A | 3,962 | 13.8/net in gill nets | 9% | 28" | 1.2 lb | 2025 |
| 21 | Tulaby Lake | A | 832 | 27.6/net in gill nets | 12% | 28" | 1.2 lb | 2025 |
| 22 | Diamond Lake | A | 1,610 | 30.3/net in gill nets | 20% | 27" | 2.1 lb | 2025 |
| 23 | Detroit Lake | A | 3,067 | 8.2/net in gill nets | 31% | 29" | 2.4 lb | 2025 |
| 24 | Shaokotan Lake | A | 996 | 16.7/net in gill nets | 39% | 28" | 2.8 lb | 2025 |
| 25 | Big Cormorant Lake | A | 3,657 | 15.1/net in gill nets | 19% | 27" | 1.6 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked statewide: Northern pike · Muskellunge · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
Walleye by county: Aitkin · Becker · Beltrami · Big Stone · Blue Earth · Carlton · Carver · Cass · Chisago · Clearwater · Cook · Cottonwood · Crow Wing · Douglas · Grant · Hennepin · Hubbard · Isanti · Itasca · Jackson · Kanabec · Kandiyohi · Lake · Le Sueur · Lincoln · Lyon · Mahnomen · Martin · McLeod · Meeker · Morrison · Murray · Nobles · Otter Tail · Pine · Polk · Pope · Ramsey · Rice · Scott · Sherburne · St. Louis · Stearns · Stevens · Swift · Todd · Washington · Wright
Walleye near a city: Minneapolis · St. Paul · Duluth · St. Cloud · Brainerd · Bemidji · Mankato · Grand Rapids · Alexandria · Willmar
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.