Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Wright County
84 surveyed crappie lakes sit in Wright County; 36 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.
Buffalo Lake leads at grade A−, with 5.8 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2025 survey and a 12-inch fish the biggest measured. Dutch Lake is next at A−, 14.8 crappie per net in trap nets in its 2016 survey, 7% of the crappie netted over 10 inches. Mink Lake rounds out the top three at A−, a 13-inch fish the biggest measured.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Buffalo Lake | A− | 1,552 | 5.8/net in trap nets | 12% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Dutch Lake | A− | 162 | 14.8/net in trap nets | 7% | 13" | 0.3 lb | 2016 |
| 3 | Mink Lake | A− | 280 | 11.2/net in trap nets | 3% | 13" | 0.1 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Waverly Lake | A− | 494 | 6.7/net in trap nets | 21% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | Somers Lake | A− | 151 | 15.1/net in trap nets | 3% | 12" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Caroline Lake | B+ | 137 | 4.8/net in trap nets | 55% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2019 |
| 7 | Augusta Lake | B+ | 187 | 4.4/net in trap nets | 33% | 13" | 0.4 lb | 2019 |
| 8 | Martha Lake | B+ | 103 | 12.7/net in trap nets | 7% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2022 |
| 9 | Howard Lake | B+ | 745 | 2.2/net in trap nets | 16% | 13" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 10 | Dean Lake | B+ | 176 | 22.2/net in trap nets | 1% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2019 |
Also ranked in Wright County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie 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.