Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best bluegill lakes in Washington County
The DNR has surveyed bluegill in 39 lakes in Washington County. The 10 ranked below are the ones that earn a grade on this site. Grades come from survey catch rates, fish size and trophy history, scored the same way for every lake on the live map.
Forest Lake is first at B. The DNR caught 25.2 bluegill per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 7 inches. Clear Lake is second at B, with 48.6 bluegill per trap net in the 2024 survey, and none of its bluegill measured over 8 inches. Big Marine Lake is third at B−, and its biggest bluegill was 9 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 8" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Forest Lake | B | 2,271 | 25.2/net in trap nets | 0% | 7" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Clear Lake | B | 429 | 48.6/net in trap nets | 0% | 7" | 0.1 lb | 2024 |
| 3 | Big Marine Lake | B− | 1,799 | — | 39% | 9" | 0.4 lb | 2024 |
| 4 | Bone Lake | C+ | 221 | — | 19% | 8" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | White Bear Lake | C+ | 2,428 | — | 1% | 8" | 0.2 lb | 2024 |
| 6 | Square Lake | C+ | 203 | 11.6/net in trap nets | 9% | 9" | 0.3 lb | 2016 |
| 7 | Jane Lake | C− | 158 | 22.5/net in trap nets | 0% | 7" | 0.1 lb | 2019 |
| 8 | DeMontreville Lake | C− | 157 | 21.9/net in trap nets | 0% | 7" | 0.1 lb | 2019 |
| 9 | Elmo Lake | C− | 257 | 12.8/net in trap nets | 0% | 7" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 10 | Big Carnelian Lake | C− | 457 | 5.3/net in trap nets | 2% | 9" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
Also ranked in Washington County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Crappie · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best bluegill 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.