MN · ranked by public data
Minnesota bass leaders are split into separate, equally visible systems: standard night electrofishing relative abundance within the same DNR lake class, and explicitly daytime targeted electrofishing size structure. Each system restarts at #1; neither is an overall winner.
228 Minnesota lakes have exact-water DNR survey evidence for smallmouth bass. 228 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our size and public-access criteria. Updated July 2026.
Methodology
Minnesota bass use two independent categories with equal standing. Night electrofishing ranks relative abundance only inside the same species and DNR lake class. Daytime electrofishing ranks size structure only from explicitly daytime targeted surveys with at least 100 measured bass. Each compatible system restarts at #1; the categories never combine into an overall winner.
The evidence list
Showing up to 25 lakes per survey system, plus an alphabetical documented-evidence section. Peer-backed systems restart at #1; singleton systems show no numeric rank.
These are standard night electrofishing systems. Lakes compete only against the same bass species and DNR lake class, so class-specific ranks restart at #1.
Ranked within spring spawning mn class 22 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1
Otter Tail County, MN
93.2 within-system score · 556,447 lake-scale opportunity index · 219.09 fish/hour · 2006 DNR survey
Itasca County, MN
74.3 within-system score · 368,413.2 lake-scale opportunity index · 90 fish/hour · 2023 DNR survey
Kandiyohi County, MN
50.1 within-system score · 194,915.4 lake-scale opportunity index · 35 fish/hour · 1999 DNR survey
Morrison County, MN
46.8 within-system score · 80,640.1 lake-scale opportunity index · 29.77 fish/hour · 2018 DNR survey
Todd County, MN
46.8 within-system score · 74,571.5 lake-scale opportunity index · 35.4 fish/hour · 2018 DNR survey
| Rank | Lake | County | Acres | System score | Primary score signal | Survey measurement | Metric year | DNR status | Smallmouth Bass stocking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 6 | Lake Miltona | Douglas | 5,731 | 31.0 | index 25,789.5 | 4.5 fish/hour | 2019 | No record | — |
| 7 | Lake Minnetonka | Hennepin | 14,206 | 29.5 | index 47,872.7 | 3.37 fish/hour | 1997 | No record | — |
| 8 | Little Boy Lake | Cass | 1,452 | 27.4 | index 16,999.1 | 11.71 fish/hour | 2018 | No record | — |
| 9 | Farm Island Lake | Aitkin | 2,005 | 27.3 | index 14,216.8 | 7.09 fish/hour | 2025 | No record | — |
| 10 | Little Birch Lake | Todd | 839 | 26.5 | index 12,591.6 | 15 fish/hour | 2023 | No record | — |
| 11 | Lake Carlos | Douglas | 2,605 | 17.9 | index 6,512.8 | 2.5 fish/hour | 2024 | No record | — |
| 12 | Big Cormorant Lake | Becker | 3,657 | 17.8 | index 8,996.5 | 2.46 fish/hour | 2014 | No record | — |
| 13 | Lake Ida | Douglas | 4,445 | 17.7 | index 6,667.9 | 1.5 fish/hour | 2023 | No record | — |
| 14 | Lake Latoka | Douglas | 767 | 9.1 | index 3,066.5 | 4 fish/hour | 2021 | No record | — |
| 15 | Lake Osakis | Todd | 6,389 | 7.9 | index 3,194.7 | 0.5 fish/hour | 2018 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 25 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Horseshoe Lake | Stearns | 629 | 96.7 | index 20,699.1 | 32.93 fish/hour | 2018 | No record | — |
| 2 | Bad Medicine Lake | Becker | 803 | 84.8 | index 20,621.8 | 25.68 fish/hour | 2012 | No record | — |
| 3 | Lake Belle Taine | Hubbard | 1,497 | 74.0 | index 20,204.9 | 13.5 fish/hour | 2016 | No record | — |
| 4 | Borden Lake | Crow Wing | 1,011 | 63.6 | index 9,992.5 | 9.88 fish/hour | 2021 | No record | — |
| 5 | Lake Byllesby | Dakota | 1,368 | 58.4 | index 9,523.4 | 6.96 fish/hour | 2019 | No record | — |
| 6 | Bass Lake | Itasca | 2,715 | 50.3 | index 8,932.8 | 3.29 fish/hour | 2014 | No record | — |
| 7 | Blackwater Lake | Cass | 771 | 39.8 | index 2,692.4 | 3.49 fish/hour | 2023 | No record | — |
| 8 | Crooked Lake | Crow Wing | 463 | 26.4 | index 1,110.4 | 2.4 fish/hour | 2023 | No record | — |
| T9 | Boy Lake | Cass | 3,308 | 25.8 | index 1,984.7 | 0.6 fish/hour | 2013 | No record | — |
| T9 | Cross Lake | Pine | 925 | 25.8 | index 1,443.5 | 1.56 fish/hour | 2018 | No record | — |
| 11 | Cedar Lake | Aitkin | 1,726 | 23.7 | index 1,156.3 | 0.67 fish/hour | 2021 | No record | — |
| 12 | Little Long Lake | Itasca | 305 | 14.2 | index 685.2 | 2.25 fish/hour | 2015 | No record | — |
| 13 | Eagle Lake | Crow Wing | 350 | 9.2 | index 391.8 | 1.12 fish/hour | 2021 | No record | — |
| 14 | Little Jay Gould Lake | Itasca | 150 | 4.1 | index 437.9 | 2.92 fish/hour | 2008 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 23 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | East Crooked Lake | Hubbard | 379 | 98.7 | index 26,670 | 70.36 fish/hour | 2022 | No record | — |
| 2 | Grindstone Lake | Pine | 533 | 83.5 | index 22,115.8 | 41.5 fish/hour | 2025 | No record | — |
| 3 | Baby Lake | Cass | 737 | 66.2 | index 15,115.1 | 20.5 fish/hour | 2019 | No record | — |
| 4 | Juggler Lake | Becker | 428 | 41.9 | index 3,663.6 | 8.55 fish/hour | 2012 | No record | — |
| 5 | Hartley Lake | Itasca | 288 | 25.8 | index 1,399.9 | 4.86 fish/hour | 2003 | No record | — |
| 6 | Little Swan Lake | Todd | 164 | 24.9 | index 568.7 | 3.46 fish/hour | 2025 | No record | — |
| 7 | Bass Lake | Cass | 195 | 24.1 | index 584.3 | 3 fish/hour | 2023 | No record | — |
| 8 | Clubhouse Lake | Itasca | 265 | 23.9 | index 636.7 | 2.4 fish/hour | 2021 | No record | — |
| 9 | Big Pine Lake | Aitkin | 638 | 17.3 | index 784.8 | 1.23 fish/hour | 2002 | No record | — |
| 10 | Big Too Much Lake | Itasca | 292 | 14.0 | index 464.2 | 1.59 fish/hour | 2007 | No record | — |
| 11 | Hanging Horn Lake | Carlton | 409 | 13.4 | index 331 | 0.81 fish/hour | 2015 | No record | — |
| 12 | Johnson Lake | Itasca | 434 | 11.5 | index 312.5 | 0.72 fish/hour | 2012 | No record | — |
| 13 | East Fox Lake | Crow Wing | 241 | 10.0 | index 161.4 | 0.67 fish/hour | 2025 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 27 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Clearwater Lake | Crow Wing | 905 | 100.0 | index 95,873.3 | 105.88 fish/hour | 2025 | No record | — |
| 2 | Lake Hubert | Crow Wing | 1,301 | 67.2 | index 42,273.1 | 32.5 fish/hour | 2025 | No record | — |
| 3 | Crystal Lake | Otter Tail | 1,413 | 62.1 | index 46,669.4 | 33.03 fish/hour | 2006 | No record | — |
| 4 | Lake Minnewaska | Pope | 8,050 | 55.3 | index 36,226.2 | 4.5 fish/hour | 2022 | No record | — |
| 5 | Lake Reno | Pope | 3,809 | 41.0 | index 9,521.5 | 2.5 fish/hour | 2022 | No record | — |
| 6 | Fishhook Lake | Hubbard | 1,643 | 17.2 | index 1,166.2 | 0.71 fish/hour | 2017 | No record | — |
| 7 | Lake Pulaski | Wright | 813 | 11.6 | index 715.7 | 0.88 fish/hour | 2015 | No record | — |
| 8 | Eagle Lake | Kandiyohi | 849 | 0.3 | index 458.7 | 0.54 fish/hour | 1995 | No record | — |
| 9 | Lake Minnie-Belle | Meeker | 597 | 0.1 | index 447.4 | 0.75 fish/hour | 1995 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 24 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Fish Lake | Jackson | 297 | 92.3 | index 16,210.9 | 54.56 fish/hour | 2011 | No record | — |
| 2 | Buffalo Lake | Wright | 1,552 | 71.6 | index 17,226.1 | 11.1 fish/hour | 2024 | No record | — |
| 3 | Cokato Lake | Wright | 553 | 59.7 | index 8,634.4 | 15.62 fish/hour | 2014 | No record | — |
| 4 | Locke Lake | Wright | 140 | 59.6 | index 4,665.2 | 33.33 fish/hour | 2008 | No record | — |
| 5 | Big Swan Lake | Meeker | 684 | 32.5 | index 2,735.4 | 4 fish/hour | 2007 | No record | — |
| 6 | Lake Stella | Meeker | 599 | 21.0 | index 1,024.3 | 1.71 fish/hour | 2014 | No record | — |
| 7 | Briggs Lake | Sherburne | 404 | 9.2 | index 376.1 | 0.93 fish/hour | 2019 | No record | — |
| 8 | Bass Lake | Wright | 222 | 0.4 | index 329.3 | 1.48 fish/hour | 2005 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 31 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Hoot Lake | Otter Tail | 161 | 92.4 | index 6,361.2 | 39.43 fish/hour | 2025 | No record | — |
| 2 | Boulder Lake | Hubbard | 341 | 90.2 | index 10,032.3 | 29.46 fish/hour | 2023 | No record | — |
| 3 | Duck Lake | Hubbard | 326 | 32.5 | index 1,958.5 | 6 fish/hour | 2000 | No record | — |
| 4 | Hinds Lake | Hubbard | 305 | 13.7 | index 473.4 | 1.55 fish/hour | 2022 | No record | — |
| 5 | Busties Lake | Itasca | 245 | 11.0 | index 487.8 | 1.99 fish/hour | 2013 | No record | — |
| 6 | Little Turtle Lake | Itasca | 492 | 5.6 | index 368.8 | 0.75 fish/hour | 2014 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 5 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Ash Lake | St. Louis | 690 | 92.5 | index 130,545.1 | 189.3 fish/hour | 2023 | No record | — |
| 2 | Black Duck Lake | St. Louis | 1,250 | 90.5 | index 225,530.2 | 180.44 fish/hour | 2017 | No record | — |
| 3 | Little Long Lake | St. Louis | 322 | 66.2 | index 50,304.9 | 156.11 fish/hour | 2015 | No record | — |
| 4 | Elephant Lake | St. Louis | 728 | 65.7 | index 63,414 | 87.1 fish/hour | 2024 | No record | — |
| 5 | Ely Lake | St. Louis | 723 | 21.2 | index 9,161.6 | 12.67 fish/hour | 2017 | No record | — |
| 6 | Armstrong Lake | St. Louis | 382 | 6.7 | index 2,037.9 | 5.33 fish/hour | 2021 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 30 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Fish Lake | Wright | 97 | 93.6 | index 253.1 | 2.6 fish/hour | 2004 | No record | — |
| 2 | Deer Lake | Wright | 171 | 51.9 | index 171.1 | 1 fish/hour | 2013 | No record | — |
| 3 | Crooked Lake | Anoka | 115 | 31.3 | index 127.6 | 1.11 fish/hour | 1999 | No record | — |
| 4 | Dean Lake | Wright | 176 | 30.2 | index 138.9 | 0.79 fish/hour | 2001 | No record | — |
| 5 | Bass Lake | Kandiyohi | 50 | 18.8 | index 71.6 | 1.43 fish/hour | 2008 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 7 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Crane Lake | St. Louis | 2,921 | 96.0 | index 77,367.5 | 26.49 fish/hour | 2021 | No record | — |
| 2 | Elbow Lake | St. Louis | 1,695 | 92.4 | index 49,259.9 | 29.06 fish/hour | 2023 | No record | — |
| 3 | Bear Island Lake | St. Louis | 2,362 | 0.0 | index 2,929.5 | 1.24 fish/hour | 1998 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 16 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Big Lake | St. Louis | 1,904 | 100.0 | index 3,579.5 | 1.88 fish/hour | 2019 | No record | — |
| 2 | Grand Lake | St. Louis | 1,665 | 10.0 | index 1,149 | 0.69 fish/hour | 2019 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 29 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Goodrich Lake | Crow Wing | 382 | 100.0 | index 2,384.6 | 6.24 fish/hour | 2018 | No record | — |
| 2 | Jay Gould Lake | Itasca | 552 | 0.0 | index 965.5 | 1.75 fish/hour | 2007 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 3 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Hungry Jack Lake | Cook | 474 | 100.0 | index 3,533.4 | 7.45 fish/hour | 1997 | No record | — |
| 2 | Flour Lake | Cook | 330 | 10.0 | index 1,772.8 | 5.37 fish/hour | 1997 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 36 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Cedar Island Lake | Stearns | 986 | 65.0 | index 9,355 | 9.49 fish/hour | 2018 | No record | — |
| 2 | Buttonbox Lake | Itasca | 81 | 35.0 | index 3,046.7 | 37.42 fish/hour | 2007 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 41 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Lake Washington | Meeker | 2,438 | 100.0 | index 3,242.6 | 1.33 fish/hour | 2016 | No record | — |
| 2 | Knife Lake | Kanabec | 1,259 | 0.0 | index 1,221.5 | 0.97 fish/hour | 2015 | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 43 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | |||||||||
| 1 | Cottonwood Lake | Cottonwood | 155 | 100.0 | index 1,072.4 | 6.92 fish/hour | 2020 | No record | — |
| 2 | Elk Lake | Sherburne | 357 | 0.0 | index 421.1 | 1.18 fish/hour | 2009 | No record | — |
No daytime survey family has at least two fully comparable lakes for this bass species yet.
Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical
Crow Wing County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable smallmouth bass numeric survey system
Itasca County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable smallmouth bass numeric survey system
Cook County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable smallmouth bass numeric survey system
Ramsey County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable smallmouth bass numeric survey system
St. Louis County, MN
Documented DNR evidence · no comparable smallmouth bass numeric survey system
| Rank | Lake | County | Acres | System score | Primary score signal | Survey measurement | Metric year | DNR status | Smallmouth Bass stocking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| — | Barker Lake | Cook | 149 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Bass Lake | Itasca | 122 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Bass Lake | Mahnomen | 735 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Bass Lake | St. Louis | 169 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Bearskin Lake | Cook | 509 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Beltrami Lake | Beltrami | 726 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Bass Lake | Hubbard | 133 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Island Lake | Itasca | 244 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Kandiyohi Lake | Kandiyohi | 2,730 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Lake | Beltrami | 3,598 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Lake | Stearns | 458 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Ole Lake | Itasca | 217 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Pine Lake | Pine | 399 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Sand Lake | Hubbard | 1,639 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Sandy Lake | Aitkin | 6,125 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Sugar Bush Lake | Becker | 522 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Big Trout Lake | Crow Wing | 1,366 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Birch Lake | Cook | 236 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Birch Lake | St. Louis | 7,074 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
| — | Blue Lake | Hubbard | 336 | — | — | — | — | No record | — |
By county
FAQ
91 lakes receive at least one peer-backed smallmouth bass numeric rank. Distinct methods keep separate leaderboards because their values and units are not interchangeable. A numeric rank requires at least two same-system lakes, and a lake can appear in multiple systems.
228 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.
Night systems use 55% lake-scale opportunity, 35% catch rate, and 10% recency. Day systems use the same weights for median length, 90th-percentile length, and recency. Acreage never affects the day score, and the two systems never combine.
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.