Minnesota › Best lakes › Largemouth Bass › Aitkin County MN · ranked by public data
Best Largemouth Bass Lakes by DNR Survey System and Lake-Scale Opportunity in Aitkin County, Minnesota 24 Aitkin County lakes have exact-water DNR survey evidence for largemouth bass; 24 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our criteria, out of 248 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.
Ranked within spring spawning mn class 23 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1
1 100.0 system score
433 acres Aitkin County, MN
Lone Lake limited
100.0 within-system score · 49,851.4 lake-scale opportunity index · 115 fish/hour · 2024 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 100.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 49,851.4 (115 fish/hour × 433 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 115 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2024 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 23 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 23 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 2 76.4 system score
638 acres Aitkin County, MN
Big Pine Lake available
76.4 within-system score · 42,109.3 lake-scale opportunity index · 66 fish/hour · 2021 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 76.4/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 42,109.3 (66 fish/hour × 638 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 66 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2021 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 23 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 23 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 3 0.0 system score
169 acres Aitkin County, MN
Ball Bluff Lake available
0.0 within-system score · 3,205.8 lake-scale opportunity index · 19.01 fish/hour · 2011 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 0.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 3,205.8 (19.01 fish/hour × 169 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 19.01 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2011 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 23 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 23 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset Ranked within spring spawning mn class 27 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1
1 95.9 system score
598 acres Aitkin County, MN
Dam Lake limited
95.9 within-system score · 48,840.8 lake-scale opportunity index · 81.72 fish/hour · 2022 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 95.9/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 48,840.8 (81.72 fish/hour × 598 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 81.72 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2022 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 27 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 27 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 2 80.6 system score
842 acres Aitkin County, MN
Esquagamah Lake limited
80.6 within-system score · 52,130.7 lake-scale opportunity index · 61.91 fish/hour · 2019 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 80.6/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 52,130.7 (61.91 fish/hour × 842 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 61.91 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2019 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 27 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 27 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 3 10.0 system score
712 acres Aitkin County, MN
Gun Lake limited
10.0 within-system score · 5,866.1 lake-scale opportunity index · 8.24 fish/hour · 2023 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 10.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 5,866.1 (8.24 fish/hour × 712 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 8.24 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2023 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 27 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 27 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset Ranked within spring spawning mn class 25 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1
1 90.0 system score
1,726 acres Aitkin County, MN
Cedar Lake limited
90.0 within-system score · 63,682 lake-scale opportunity index · 36.9 fish/hour · 2024 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 90.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 63,682 (36.9 fish/hour × 1,726 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 36.9 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2024 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 25 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 25 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 2 10.0 system score
794 acres Aitkin County, MN
Hill Lake limited
10.0 within-system score · 23,820.3 lake-scale opportunity index · 30 fish/hour · 2025 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 10.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 23,820.3 (30 fish/hour × 794 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 30 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2025 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 25 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 25 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset Ranked within spring spawning mn class 32 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1
1 100.0 system score
376 acres Aitkin County, MN
Hammal Lake limited
100.0 within-system score · 36,515.6 lake-scale opportunity index · 97.24 fish/hour · 2022 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 100.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 36,515.6 (97.24 fish/hour × 376 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 97.24 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2022 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 32 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 32 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 2 0.0 system score
143 acres Aitkin County, MN
Hanson Lake limited
0.0 within-system score · 7,774.4 lake-scale opportunity index · 54.26 fish/hour · 2016 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 0.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 7,774.4 (54.26 fish/hour × 143 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 54.26 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2016 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 32 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 32 standard night bass electrofishing surveys DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (largemouth bass) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset Rank Lake County Acres System score Primary score signal Survey measurement Metric year Fishing report DNR status Largemouth Bass stocking Comparable spring spawning mn class 22 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Farm Island Lake Aitkin 2,005 — — 35.45 fish/hour 2025 No · 0% signal No record — Comparable spring spawning mn class 29 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Clear Lake Aitkin 574 — — 86.5 fish/hour 2024 No · 0% signal No record — Comparable spring spawning mn class 31 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — French Lake Aitkin 149 — — 7.2 fish/hour 1989 No · 0% signal No record — Comparable spring spawning mn class 39 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Fleming Lake Aitkin 319 — — 19.8 fish/hour 2017 No · 0% signal No record — Comparable spring spawning mn class 41 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Lake Minnewawa Aitkin 2,351 — — 17.33 fish/hour 2024 No · 0% signal No record — Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical — Big Sandy Lake Aitkin 6,125 — — — — No · 0% signal No record — — Blackface Lake Aitkin 192 — — — — No · 0% signal No record — — Blind Lake Aitkin 304 — — — — No · 0% signal No record — — Blue Lake Aitkin 54 — — — — No · 0% signal No record — — Elm Island Lake Aitkin 520 — — — — No · 0% signal No record — — Hanging Kettle Lake Aitkin 318 — — — — No · 0% signal No record — — Hay Lake Aitkin 129 — — — — No · 0% signal No record — — Hickory Lake Aitkin 212 — — — — No · 0% signal No record — — Little Pine Lake Aitkin 226 — — — — No · 0% signal No record —
Methodology
How this list is built County ranks use the same statewide exact-family contract; systems with at least two eligible county peers restart at #1. The score is 55% survey rate × acreage, 35% survey rate, and 10% recency. Catch-per-effort × acreage is only an opportunity index, never a literal fish count. Documented acreage plus verified public or shore access are eligibility gates. Unsupported methods stay documented but unranked. See the complete definitions on the statewide largemouth bass ranking .
FAQ
Aitkin County largemouth bass fishing FAQ Which largemouth bass lakes receive a numeric county rank? 10 lakes receive at least one peer-backed, exact-lake numeric rank. Catch-per-effort systems separate species, phase, gear, unit, and sampled population; standardized adult-density estimates form their own system, so systems with at least two eligible county peers can each have a #1 in Aitkin County.
How many Aitkin County lakes have largemouth bass? 24 Aitkin County lakes have exact-water DNR survey evidence. Numeric rank still requires an exact comparable family plus the acreage and access gates.
Source data: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder fisheries surveys, lake classes, morphology, and public-access records. Rankings are LakeList's computed opinion from public agency data, not a DNR endorsement. Conditions and regulations change — verify access and rules before you go.