Minnesota › Best lakes › Northern Pike › Hennepin County MN · ranked by public data
Best Northern Pike Lakes by DNR Survey System and Lake-Scale Opportunity in Hennepin County, Minnesota 15 Hennepin County lakes have exact-water DNR survey evidence for northern pike; 15 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our criteria, out of 186 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.
Ranked within standard summer july mn class 24 standard gill nets normal 1 5 to 7 3 catch per effort (fish per net set) — ranks restart at 1
1 90.0 system score
424 acres Hennepin County, MN
Bde Maka Ska available
90.0 within-system score · 8,528.1 lake-scale opportunity index · 20.12 fish/net set · 2019 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 90.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 8,528.1 (20.12 fish/net set × 424 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 20.12 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2019 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 2 69.1 system score
557 acres Hennepin County, MN
Lake Sarah limited
69.1 within-system score · 5,711.6 lake-scale opportunity index · 10.25 fish/net set · 2022 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 69.1/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 5,711.6 (10.25 fish/net set × 557 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 10.25 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2022 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 3 52.6 system score
341 acres Hennepin County, MN
Lake Harriet limited
52.6 within-system score · 2,518.2 lake-scale opportunity index · 7.38 fish/net set · 2024 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 52.6/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 2,518.2 (7.38 fish/net set × 341 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 7.38 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2024 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 4 44.7 system score
296 acres Hennepin County, MN
Eagle Lake limited
44.7 within-system score · 2,271.9 lake-scale opportunity index · 7.67 fish/net set · 2020 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 44.7/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 2,271.9 (7.67 fish/net set × 296 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 7.67 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2020 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 5 43.0 system score
832 acres Hennepin County, MN
Lake Independence limited
43.0 within-system score · 2,221.5 lake-scale opportunity index · 2.67 fish/net set · 2025 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 43.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 2,221.5 (2.67 fish/net set × 832 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 2.67 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2025 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 6 32.6 system score
180 acres Hennepin County, MN
Bryant Lake available
32.6 within-system score · 1,110.2 lake-scale opportunity index · 6.17 fish/net set · 2022 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 32.6/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 1,110.2 (6.17 fish/net set × 180 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 6.17 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2022 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 7 23.8 system score
175 acres Hennepin County, MN
Dutch Lake limited
23.8 within-system score · 701.8 lake-scale opportunity index · 4 fish/net set · 2024 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 23.8/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 701.8 (4 fish/net set × 175 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 4 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2024 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 8 14.9 system score
238 acres Hennepin County, MN
Fish Lake limited
14.9 within-system score · 515.9 lake-scale opportunity index · 2.17 fish/net set · 2024 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 14.9/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 515.9 (2.17 fish/net set × 238 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 2.17 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2024 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 9 6.7 system score
201 acres Hennepin County, MN
Lake Nokomis limited
6.7 within-system score · 368.3 lake-scale opportunity index · 1.83 fish/net set · 2023 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 6.7/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 368.3 (1.83 fish/net set × 201 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 1.83 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2023 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset Ranked within standard summer june mn class 24 standard gill nets normal 1 5 to 7 3 catch per effort (fish per net set) — ranks restart at 1
1 100.0 system score
296 acres Hennepin County, MN
Eagle Lake limited
100.0 within-system score · 4,641.5 lake-scale opportunity index · 15.67 fish/net set · 2025 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 100.0/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 4,641.5 (15.67 fish/net set × 296 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 15.67 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 2025 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer june Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.5-7.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (northern pike) 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 Northern Pike stocking 2 Bde Maka Ska Hennepin 424 86.3 index 4,450.5 10.5 fish/net set 2024 No record — 3 Bryant Lake Hennepin 180 66.3 index 2,159.3 12 fish/net set 1985 No record — 4 Lake Sarah Hennepin 557 60.1 index 3,204.1 5.75 fish/net set 1991 No record — 5 Lake Harriet Hennepin 341 58.5 index 2,084.9 6.11 fish/net set 2014 No record — 6 Lake Nokomis Hennepin 201 2.8 index 267.6 1.33 fish/net set 1996 No record — Ranked within standard summer august mn class 24 standard gill nets normal 1 5 to 7 3 catch per effort (fish per net set) — ranks restart at 1 1 Eagle Lake Hennepin 296 90.0 index 1,975.7 6.67 fish/net set 1978 No record — 2 Dutch Lake Hennepin 175 15.7 index 701.8 4 fish/net set 1986 No record — 3 Bryant Lake Hennepin 180 10.0 index 629.8 3.5 fish/net set 1994 No record — Ranked within standard summer july mn class 30 standard gill nets normal 2 5 to 7 9 catch per effort (fish per net set) — ranks restart at 1 1 Bush Lake Hennepin 171 90.0 index 1,595.2 9.33 fish/net set 1994 No record — 2 Crystal Lake Hennepin 79 10.0 index 223.9 2.83 fish/net set 2004 No record — Comparable standard summer august mn class 30 standard gill nets normal 2 5 to 7 9 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Crystal Lake Hennepin 79 — — 6 fish/net set 1979 No record — Comparable standard summer july mn class 40 standard gill nets normal 1 5 to 9 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Holy Name Lake Hennepin 71 — — 41 fish/net set 1987 No record — Comparable standard summer june mn class 22 standard gill nets normal 3 to 7 9 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Lake Minnetonka Hennepin 14,206 — — 12.17 fish/net set 2022 No record — Comparable standard summer june mn class 23 standard gill nets normal 2 2 to 8 7 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Christmas Lake Hennepin 267 — — 7.17 fish/net set 2023 No record — Comparable standard summer june mn class 30 standard gill nets normal 2 5 to 7 9 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Bush Lake Hennepin 171 — — 14.5 fish/net set 2023 No record — Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical — Lake Rebecca Hennepin 263 — — — — 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 northern pike ranking .
FAQ
Hennepin County northern pike fishing FAQ Which northern pike lakes receive a numeric county rank? 11 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 Hennepin County.
How many Hennepin County lakes have northern pike? 15 Hennepin 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.