MN · ranked by public data
Minnesota DNR documents muskellunge in these public-access lakes, but its survey manual says musky trap-net catch per effort must not be used to characterize abundance. This list is therefore documented evidence, not a numeric best-to-worst ranking.
80 Minnesota lakes have exact-water DNR survey evidence for musky. 80 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our size and public-access criteria. Updated July 2026.
Methodology
LakeList does not publish a numeric best-to-worst order without a statewide indicator that is valid for abundance and exposes every protocol field needed for an apples-to-apples comparison.
The evidence list
Showing 80 evidence-qualified lakes alphabetically. None receives a score or numeric rank.
Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical
Beltrami County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
Otter Tail County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
Cass County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
Ramsey County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
Hennepin County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
Otter Tail County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
Hubbard County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
Beltrami County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
Hubbard County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
Aitkin County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable musky numeric survey system
| Rank | Lake | County | Acres | System score | Primary score signal | Survey measurement | Metric year | DNR status | Musky stocking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Blueberry Lake | Wadena | 533 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Borden Lake | Crow Wing | 1,011 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Bouder Lake | Cook | 129 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Boy Lake | Cass | 3,308 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Budd Lake | Martin | 228 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Cedar Island Lake | Stearns | 986 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Cedar Lake | Aitkin | 1,726 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Cedar Lake | Scott | 793 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Centerville Lake | Anoka | 474 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Comfort Lake | Chisago | 218 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Crane Lake | St. Louis | 2,921 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Crescent Lake | Cook | 755 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Crooked Lake | Lake | 272 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Cross Lake | Pine | 925 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Crystal Lake | Dakota | 293 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
By county
FAQ
The available musky evidence does not expose a statewide abundance indicator with every protocol field required for a fair numeric comparison. LakeList therefore publishes exact-water evidence without inventing a score.
80 Minnesota lakes in this published set have exact-water DNR survey evidence. The list requires documented acreage and verified public or shore access. Evidence outside a valid numeric survey family stays visible but unranked.
The evidence-only list is alphabetical. Acreage and access are eligibility gates, but neither changes position or implies that one lake is better than another.
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. Lake outlines illustrate shoreline form and are not depth or navigation charts.