Minnesota › Best lakes › Walleye › Hennepin County MN · ranked by public data
Best Walleye Lakes by DNR Survey System and Lake-Scale Opportunity in Hennepin County, Minnesota 15 Hennepin County lakes have exact-water DNR survey evidence for walleye; 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 2 to 6 3 catch per effort (fish per net set) — ranks restart at 1
1 88.3 system score
201 acres Hennepin County, MN
Lake Nokomis limited
88.3 within-system score · 2,449.1 lake-scale opportunity index · 12.17 fish/net set · 2023 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 88.3/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 2,449.1 (12.17 fish/net set × 201 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 12.17 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 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 2 86.4 system score
832 acres Hennepin County, MN
Lake Independence limited
86.4 within-system score · 6,290.1 lake-scale opportunity index · 7.56 fish/net set · 2025 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 86.4/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 6,290.1 (7.56 fish/net set × 832 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 7.56 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 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 3 68.2 system score
341 acres Hennepin County, MN
Lake Harriet limited
68.2 within-system score · 2,047.3 lake-scale opportunity index · 6 fish/net set · 2024 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 68.2/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 2,047.3 (6 fish/net set × 341 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 6 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 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 4 57.2 system score
557 acres Hennepin County, MN
Lake Sarah limited
57.2 within-system score · 1,738.6 lake-scale opportunity index · 3.12 fish/net set · 2022 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 57.2/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 1,738.6 (3.12 fish/net set × 557 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 3.12 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 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 5 52.3 system score
180 acres Hennepin County, MN
Bryant Lake available
52.3 within-system score · 809.7 lake-scale opportunity index · 4.5 fish/net set · 2022 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 52.3/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 809.7 (4.5 fish/net set × 180 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 4.5 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 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 6 49.2 system score
238 acres Hennepin County, MN
Fish Lake limited
49.2 within-system score · 791.6 lake-scale opportunity index · 3.33 fish/net set · 2024 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 49.2/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 791.6 (3.33 fish/net set × 238 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 3.33 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 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 7 40.6 system score
296 acres Hennepin County, MN
Eagle Lake limited
40.6 within-system score · 592.4 lake-scale opportunity index · 2 fish/net set · 2020 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 40.6/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 592.4 (2 fish/net set × 296 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 2 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 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 8 33.4 system score
424 acres Hennepin County, MN
Bde Maka Ska available
33.4 within-system score · 423.9 lake-scale opportunity index · 1 fish/net set · 2019 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 33.4/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 423.9 (1 fish/net set × 424 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 1 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 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 9 29.2 system score
263 acres Hennepin County, MN
Lake Rebecca limited
29.2 within-system score · 481.8 lake-scale opportunity index · 1.83 fish/net set · 1993 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 29.2/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 481.8 (1.83 fish/net set × 263 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 1.83 fish/net set Survey recency (10%): 1993 Survey method: Minnesota DNR standard gill nets, lake class 24, standard summer july Minnesota DNR lake class 24 normal range 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) Species fishing reports: not covered by this ranking dataset Stocking history: not covered by this ranking dataset 10 9.7 system score
175 acres Hennepin County, MN
Dutch Lake limited
9.7 within-system score · 57.9 lake-scale opportunity index · 0.33 fish/net set · 2024 DNR survey
How this within-system rank was determined Within-system score: 9.7/100 Lake scale (55%): opportunity index 57.9 (0.33 fish/net set × 175 acres; not a fish count) Survey rate (35%): 0.33 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 1.2-6.3 fish/net set DNR abundance label: not covered by this ranking dataset DNR fisheries survey evidence: Recorded in DNR fisheries survey (walleye) 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 Walleye stocking Ranked within standard summer june mn class 24 standard gill nets normal 1 2 to 6 3 catch per effort (fish per net set) — ranks restart at 1 1 Lake Nokomis Hennepin 201 90.0 index 871.4 4.33 fish/net set 1996 No record — 2 Bde Maka Ska Hennepin 424 57.2 index 686.7 1.62 fish/net set 2024 No record — 3 Eagle Lake Hennepin 296 45.9 index 542 1.83 fish/net set 2025 No record — 4 Lake Harriet Hennepin 341 6.2 index 341.2 1 fish/net set 2014 No record — Comparable standard summer july mn class 30 standard gill nets normal 0 5 to 3 5 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Crystal Lake Hennepin 79 — — 0.17 fish/net set 2004 No record — Comparable standard summer june mn class 22 standard gill nets normal 4 to 9 6 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Lake Minnetonka Hennepin 14,206 — — 2.5 fish/net set 2022 No record — Comparable standard summer june mn class 23 standard gill nets normal 1 to 5 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Christmas Lake Hennepin 267 — — 0.17 fish/net set 2001 No record — Comparable standard summer june mn class 30 standard gill nets normal 0 5 to 3 5 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Bush Lake Hennepin 171 — — 0.17 fish/net set 2013 No record — Comparable standard summer june mn class 40 standard gill nets normal 2 3 to 17 8 catch per effort (fish per net set) — one lake recorded, no peer rank — Hyland Lake Hennepin 84 — — 4.25 fish/net set 2023 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 walleye ranking .
FAQ
Hennepin County walleye fishing FAQ Which walleye 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 Hennepin County.
How many Hennepin County lakes have walleye? 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.