Fish Species in Minnesota & Wisconsin Lakes
80 fish species documented across 2,754 lakes. Click any species to see every lake where it has been found, sorted by water quality grade.
Most species + best water quality
Top walleye lakes by water quality
Largemouth & smallmouth bass
Top muskellunge lakes
Game Fish
Premier sport fish targeted by anglers across Minnesota and Wisconsin. These species require healthy lake ecosystems with good water quality.
Other Species
Additional species found in regional lakes, including rough fish and less commonly targeted species.
Frequently Asked Questions
What fish species are in Minnesota lakes?
Minnesota lakes contain 71 documented fish species including walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, muskellunge, and lake trout. Fish species data comes from the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder database.
What fish species are in Wisconsin lakes?
Wisconsin lakes contain 9 documented fish species including walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, bluegill, black crappie, muskellunge, and multiple trout species. Fish data comes from the Wisconsin DNR Lakes database.
Which fish species indicates good water quality?
Coldwater species like lake trout, cisco, and brook trout require the cleanest, deepest, most oxygen-rich lakes. Finding these species is a strong indicator of excellent water quality. Walleye and smallmouth bass also prefer cleaner water than average.
How many lakes have fish species data?
2,754 of 3,770 lakes in our database have documented fish species information. Data comes from state DNR fish survey records.