Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best largemouth bass lakes in Washington County
The DNR has surveyed largemouth bass in 34 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.
Big Marine Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 103.6 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2024 survey, and the biggest was 18 inches. DeMontreville Lake is second at A−, with 100.9 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing in the 2019 survey, and 35% of its largemouth bass measured over 15 inches. Forest Lake is third at A−, and its biggest largemouth bass was 16 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 15" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Marine Lake | A− | 1,799 | 103.6/hr in electrofishing | 3% | 18" | 0.8 lb | 2024 |
| 2 | DeMontreville Lake | A− | 157 | 100.9/hr in electrofishing | 35% | 18" | 2.1 lb | 2019 |
| 3 | Forest Lake | A− | 2,271 | 62.2/hr in electrofishing | 5% | 16" | 0.9 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | White Bear Lake | A− | 2,428 | 26/hr in electrofishing | 17% | 18" | 1.3 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Jane Lake | B+ | 158 | 63.3/hr in electrofishing | 24% | 18" | 1.3 lb | 2019 |
| 6 | Bone Lake | B− | 221 | — | 17% | 17" | 1 lb | 2024 |
| 7 | Battle Creek Lake | C+ | 106 | — | 0% | 12" | 1 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Square Lake | C+ | 203 | — | 0% | 12" | 0.6 lb | 2016 |
| 9 | Clear Lake | C | 429 | 17.1/hr in electrofishing | 0% | 14" | 1.4 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Elmo Lake | C− | 257 | 7.4/hr in electrofishing | 0% | — | — | 2025 |
Also ranked in Washington County: Walleye · Northern pike · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best largemouth 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.