Brown trout Lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin & Michigan
Other SpeciesFound in 3 lakes
Rough fish like Brown trout are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 3 Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Brown trout is narrowly distributed — only 3 lakes in Michigan have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.
Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Brown trout lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Brown trout documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.
Water Quality of Brown trout Lakes
Best Brown trout Lakes by Water Quality
Top 50 lakes with brown trout ranked by overall water quality grade.
| Rank | Lake | County | State | Grade | Depth | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Watab Lake | Stearns | MN | A | 123 ft | 15 |
| 2 | Miner'S Pit West Lake | St. Louis | MN | A | 140 ft | 9 |
| 3 | Burt Lake | Cheboygan | MI | A | - | 33 |
| 4 | Island Lake | Clearwater | MN | A | 58 ft | 5 |
| 5 | Upper Gull Lake | Cass | MN | B | 54 ft | 20 |
| 6 | Chester Lake | Cook | MN | B | 35 ft | 3 |
| 7 | Velva Sportsmans Dam Lake | Ward | ND | B | 23.2 ft | 3 |
| 8 | Kota Ray Dam Lake | Williams | ND | B | 26.2 ft | 6 |
| 9 | Pentwater Lake Northwest Basin; Pentwater Township | Oceana | MI | B | - | 1 |
| 10 | North Lemmon Lake | Adams | ND | B | 31.4 ft | 6 |
| 11 | Pentwater Lake | Oceana | MI | C | - | 1 |
| 12 | Loon Lake | Aitkin | MN | D | 21 ft | 3 |
| 13 | Upper Estuary Lake | St. Louis | MN | D | 55 ft | 33 |
| 14 | Sheep Creek Dam Lake | Grant | ND | D | 33 ft | 7 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes have brown trout?
Brown trout are found in 3 graded lakes: 3 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with brown trout is B (Good).
What are the best lakes for brown trout?
The best brown trout lakes by water quality are Big Watab Lake, Miner'S Pit West Lake, Burt Lake, Island Lake, Upper Gull Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where brown trout have been documented by state DNR surveys.
What other fish are found with brown trout?
Brown trout are most commonly found alongside brown trout, white sucker, rainbow trout, bluegill, green sunfish. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.
Other Fish Species in Brown trout Lakes
Found together in 6 lakes · 121 total
Found together in 5 lakes · 14 total
Found together in 4 lakes · 240 total
Found together in 4 lakes · 87 total
Found together in 4 lakes · 1,124 total
Found together in 4 lakes · 172 total
Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.