Burbot Fishing Guide

Other SpeciesDocumented in 141 graded lakes across 2 states

Rough fish like Burbot are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 141 the 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces LakeQuality covers lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Burbot is moderately distributed — 128 lakes in Minnesota and 13 in Michigan. Some counties have it, others do not, so checking the per-lake pages matters.

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 Burbot lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Burbot documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

141

Total Lakes

128

Minnesota lakes →

Michigan lakes →

Avg. Grade

73 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Burbot Lakes

34%

19%

Best Burbot Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with burbot ranked by overall water quality grade.

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

Showing top 50 of 141 lakes with burbot.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have burbot?

Burbot are found in 141 graded lakes: 128 in Minnesota, 13 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with burbot is B (Good).

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 have the highest water quality grades 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 126 lakes · 1,256 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 118 lakes · 1,631 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 115 lakes · 2,487 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 113 lakes · 1,982 total

Rock Bass Lakes

Found together in 104 lakes · 824 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 100 lakes · 1,601 total

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