Brook Trout Lakes in Minnesota
Found in 16 Minnesota lakes · 11 in Michigan
Brook Trout is a cold-water species, so the lakes where it is documented tend to be the deep, well-oxygenated basins that stay cold through the summer. 27 lakes carry a record. Brook Trout is narrowly distributed — only 16 lakes in Minnesota and 11 in Michigan have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.
Trout presence is itself a water-quality signal: a Minnesota lake that supports a Brook Trout population is almost certainly running cold enough and oxygenated enough to also support healthier overall water quality. Trout-supporting lakes are almost universally A- or B-grade — the cold, deep, well-oxygenated conditions trout need produce the higher grades almost as a side effect.
Brook Trout Lakes Map
Every Minnesota lake with documented brook trout, colored by water-quality grade.
Best Brook Trout Lakes in Minnesota
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Pike Lake | Cook | A | 17.4 ft | 45 ft |
| 2 | Trout Lake | Cook | A | 18.4 ft | 77 ft |
| 3 | Poplar Lake | Cook | A | 10.2 ft | 30 ft |
| 4 | Kabekona Lake | Hubbard | A | 12.1 ft | 133 ft |
| 5 | Greenwood Lake | Cook | A | 15.1 ft | 112 ft |
| 6 | Lasalle Lake | Hubbard | A | 6.9 ft | 213 ft |
| 7 | Dragon Lake | Lake | B | 7.5 ft | 15 ft |
| 8 | Cramer Lake | Lake | B | - | 4 ft |
| 9 | Upper Estuary Lake | St. Louis | C | 1.9 ft | 55 ft |
| 10 | Lizz Lake | Cook | NR | 9 ft | 30 ft |
| 11 | Found Lake | Lake | NR | 10.8 ft | 38 ft |
| 12 | Skull Lake | Lake | NR | 11 ft | 38 ft |
| 13 | Neglige Lake | Lake | NR | 11.3 ft | 58 ft |
| 14 | Gogebic Lake | Cook | NR | 13.8 ft | 61 ft |
| 15 | Rog Lake | Cook | NR | 19.6 ft | 40 ft |
| 16 | South Lake | Cook | NR | 26 ft | 140 ft |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Minnesota lakes have brook trout?
Brook Trout are found in 16 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is A (Excellent).
What are the best brook trout lakes in Minnesota?
The best brook trout lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Pike Lake, Trout Lake, Poplar Lake, Kabekona Lake, Greenwood Lake.
Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.