Burbot Fishing Guide: 113 Lakes by Water Quality

Rough fish like Burbot are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 113 the United States (49 states), Canada (Ontario, Québec, Nova Scotia, British Columbia and Newfoundland and Labrador), and 38 other country hubs. LakeQuality covers lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Burbot is moderately distributed — 105 lakes in Minnesota and 8 in Michigan. Some counties have it, others do not, so checking the per-lake pages matters.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Burbot lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Burbot documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

113

Total Lakes

105

Minnesota lakes →

Michigan lakes →

77 ft

Avg. Depth

Best Burbot Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with burbot, ranked on nutrient and algae readings.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Depth	Species
1	Bad Medicine Lake	Becker	MN	84 ft	13
2	Big Lake	St. Louis	MN	22 ft	8
3	Round Lake	Crow Wing	MN	51 ft	20
4	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	MN	138 ft	23
5	Farm Lake	Lake	MN	56 ft	12
6	Washburn Lake	Cass	MN	111 ft	21
7	Garden Lake	Lake	MN	55 ft	12
8	Colby Lake	St. Louis	MN	30 ft	15
9	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	MN	60 ft	21
10	Cedar Lake	Aitkin	MN	105 ft	22
11	Gull Lake	Cass	MN	80 ft	22
12	Swan Lake	Itasca	MN	65 ft	17
13	Serpent Lake	Crow Wing	MN	65 ft	17
14	Bemidji Lake	Beltrami	MN	76 ft	16
15	Broadwater Bay Lake	Cass	MN	54 ft	22
16	Rush Lake	Crow Wing	MN	105 ft	21
17	Wolf Lake	Beltrami	MN	57 ft	18
18	Fall Lake	Lake	MN	32 ft	12
19	Thunder Lake	Cass	MN	95 ft	17
20	Plantagenet Lake	Hubbard	MN	65 ft	20
21	Tom Lake	Cook	MN	35 ft	5
22	Ponto Lake	Cass	MN	60 ft	16
23	Burntside Lake	St. Louis	MN	126 ft	15
24	Siseebakwet Lake	Itasca	MN	105 ft	11
25	Sea Gull Lake	Cook	MN	40 ft	12
26	Movil Lake	Beltrami	MN	50 ft	20
27	Boy Lake	Cass	MN	45 ft	20
28	Kabekona Lake	Hubbard	MN	133 ft	20
29	Gunflint Lake	Cook	MN	200 ft	12
30	Bertha Lake	Crow Wing	MN	64 ft	22
31	Pine Mountain Lake	Cass	MN	80 ft	16
32	Steamboat Bay Lake	Cass	MN	150 ft	18
33	Whitewater Lake	St. Louis	MN	73 ft	15
34	Kabekona Bay Lake	Cass	MN	150 ft	18
35	Hen Lake	Crow Wing	MN	105 ft	21
36	Mitawan Lake	Lake	MN	24 ft	9
37	Cass Lake Pike Bay	Cass	MN	95 ft	20
38	Cass Lake	Beltrami	MN	120 ft	21
39	August Lake	Lake	MN	19 ft	7
40	Big Star Lake	Lake	MI	-	18
41	Crystal Lake	Washtenaw	MI	-	16
42	Crystal Lake	Hillsdale	MI	-	16
43	Otter Lake	Benzie	MI	-	30
44	Eagles Nest Lake	St. Louis	MN	49 ft	9
45	Snowbank Lake	Lake	MN	150 ft	11
46	Big Wolf Lake	Hubbard	MN	57 ft	18
47	Sand Lake	Lake	MN	11 ft	9
48	Little Pine Lake	Otter Tail	MN	63 ft	20
49	Irving Lake	Beltrami	MN	19 ft	20
50	Island Lake	Itasca	MN	35 ft	15

Showing top 50 of 113 lakes with burbot.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have burbot?

Burbot are documented in 113 lakes: 105 in Minnesota, 8 in Michigan.

What are the best lakes for burbot?

The best burbot lakes by water quality are Bad Medicine Lake, Big Lake, Round Lake, Whitefish Lake, Farm Lake. These lakes carry the lowest nutrient and algae readings among all lakes where burbot have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with burbot?

Burbot are most commonly found alongside burbot, white sucker, yellow perch, northern pike, walleye. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Burbot Lakes

White Sucker Lakes

Found together in 103 lakes · 1,211 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 95 lakes · 1,577 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 92 lakes · 2,386 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 90 lakes · 1,884 total

Rock Bass Lakes

Found together in 81 lakes · 786 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 78 lakes · 1,550 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality readings from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.