Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Wright County
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 84 lakes in Wright County. Of those, 36 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.
Buffalo Lake is first at A−. The DNR caught 5.8 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 12 inches. Dutch Lake is second at A−, with 14.8 crappie per trap net in the 2016 survey, and 7% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Mink Lake is third at A−, and its biggest crappie was 13 inches.
| # | 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 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.