Minnesota › Best lakes › Largemouth Bass › St. Louis County MN · ranked by public data
Best Largemouth Bass Lakes by DNR Survey System and Lake-Scale Opportunity in St. Louis County, Minnesota 36 St. Louis County lakes have exact-water DNR survey evidence for largemouth bass; 36 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our criteria, out of 848 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.
Ranked within spring spawning mn class 5 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1
1 97.2 system score
723 acres St. Louis County, MN
Ely Lake limited
97.2 within-system score · 103,163.3 lake-scale opportunity index · 142.67 fish/hour · 2017 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 97.2/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 103,163.3 (142.67 fish/hour × 723 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 142.67 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2017 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 5 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 5 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 71.4 system score
382 acres St. Louis County, MN
Armstrong Lake available
71.4 within-system score · 36,196.1 lake-scale opportunity index · 94.67 fish/hour · 2021 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 71.4/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 36,196.1 (94.67 fish/hour × 382 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 94.67 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2021 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 5 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 5 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 39.2 system score
263 acres St. Louis County, MN
Leora Lake limited
39.2 within-system score · 10,631.3 lake-scale opportunity index · 40.46 fish/hour · 2021 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 39.2/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 10,631.3 (40.46 fish/hour × 263 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 40.46 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2021 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 5 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 5 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 4 32.9 system score
222 acres St. Louis County, MN
Island Lake limited
32.9 within-system score · 8,831.1 lake-scale opportunity index · 39.76 fish/hour · 2015 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 32.9/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 8,831.1 (39.76 fish/hour × 222 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 39.76 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2015 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 5 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 5 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 5 22.9 system score
201 acres St. Louis County, MN
Dewey Lake limited
22.9 within-system score · 6,759.7 lake-scale opportunity index · 33.58 fish/hour · 2007 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 22.9/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 6,759.7 (33.58 fish/hour × 201 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 33.58 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2007 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 5 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 5 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 6 20.5 system score
403 acres St. Louis County, MN
Bassett Lake available
20.5 within-system score · 4,790.8 lake-scale opportunity index · 11.9 fish/hour · 2022 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 20.5/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 4,790.8 (11.9 fish/hour × 403 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 11.9 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2022 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 5 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 5 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 7 10.3 system score
259 acres St. Louis County, MN
Long Lake limited
10.3 within-system score · 4,354.5 lake-scale opportunity index · 16.82 fish/hour · 2004 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 10.3/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 4,354.5 (16.82 fish/hour × 259 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 16.82 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2004 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 5 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 5 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 8 6.1 system score
322 acres St. Louis County, MN
Little Long Lake limited
6.1 within-system score · 2,539.3 lake-scale opportunity index · 7.88 fish/hour · 2015 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 6.1/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 2,539.3 (7.88 fish/hour × 322 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 7.88 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2015 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 5 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 5 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 11 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1
1 96.4 system score
202 acres St. Louis County, MN
Dinham Lake limited
96.4 within-system score · 13,585.8 lake-scale opportunity index · 67.41 fish/hour · 2018 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 96.4/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 13,585.8 (67.41 fish/hour × 202 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 67.41 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2018 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 11 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 11 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 68.3 system score
169 acres St. Louis County, MN
Little Stone Lake limited
68.3 within-system score · 5,699.3 lake-scale opportunity index · 33.66 fish/hour · 2022 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 68.3/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 5,699.3 (33.66 fish/hour × 169 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 33.66 fish/hour Survey recency (10%): 2022 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard night bass electrofishing, lake class 11 Compared only with Minnesota DNR lake class 11 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 DNR status Largemouth Bass stocking 3 Dark Lake St. Louis 231 51.7 index 4,536.4 19.64 fish/hour 2016 No record — 4 Cadotte Lake St. Louis 294 0.0 index 428.6 1.46 fish/hour 2011 No record — Ranked within spring spawning mn class 7 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 1 Bear Head Lake St. Louis 662 98.0 index 41,989.4 63.43 fish/hour 2018 No record — 2 Elbow Lake St. Louis 1,695 46.1 index 15,798.4 9.32 fish/hour 2023 No record — 3 Bear Island Lake St. Louis 2,362 8.6 index 5,882.6 2.49 fish/hour 1998 No record — 4 Crane Lake St. Louis 2,921 3.2 index 4,205.7 1.44 fish/hour 2006 No record — Ranked within spring spawning mn class 13 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 1 Janette Lake St. Louis 133 90.0 index 9,443.7 71 fish/hour 2013 No record — 2 Joseph Lake St. Louis 76 14.5 index 1,603.9 20.98 fish/hour 2025 No record — 3 Coe Lake St. Louis 54 7.1 index 1,370.5 25.22 fish/hour 2018 No record — Ranked within spring spawning mn class 16 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 1 Grand Lake St. Louis 1,665 90.0 index 41,280.1 24.79 fish/hour 2019 No record — 2 Caribou Lake St. Louis 539 10.0 index 11,175.3 20.75 fish/hour 2023 No record — Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical — Ban Lake St. Louis 389 — — — — No record — — Bass Lake St. Louis 169 — — — — No record — — Birch Lake St. Louis 7,074 — — — — No record — — Blueberry Lake St. Louis 125 — — — — No record — — Carey Lake St. Louis 145 — — — — No record — — Colby Lake St. Louis 518 — — — — No record — — Embarrass Lake St. Louis 463 — — — — No record — — Everett Lake St. Louis 113 — — — — No record — — Fenske Lake St. Louis 108 — — — — No record — — Grassy Lake St. Louis 257 — — — — No record — — Hobo Lake St. Louis 74 — — — — No record — — Johnson Lake St. Louis 456 — — — — No record — — Kabetogama Lake St. Louis 24,034 — — — — No record — — Lake Jeanette St. Louis 612 — — — — No record — — Little Sturgeon Lake St. Louis 272 — — — — 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
St. Louis County largemouth bass fishing FAQ Which largemouth bass lakes receive a numeric county rank? 21 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 St. Louis County.
How many St. Louis County lakes have largemouth bass? 36 St. Louis 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.