Cisco Species Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 68 Minnesota lakes

Cisco Species is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 68 lakes carry documentation. Cisco Species is narrowly distributed — only 68 lakes in Minnesota 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 Cisco Species lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Cisco Species documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Cisco Species Lakes Map

Every Minnesota lake with documented cisco species, colored by water-quality grade.

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Best Cisco Species Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Farm Lake	Lake	A	5.5 ft	56 ft
2	Garden Lake	Lake	A	5 ft	55 ft
3	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	A	15.1 ft	60 ft
4	White Iron Lake	Lake	A	4.5 ft	47 ft
5	Elk Lake	Clearwater	A	12 ft	93 ft
6	Bemidji Lake	Beltrami	A	12.5 ft	76 ft
7	Little Boy Lake	Cass	A	11 ft	74 ft
8	Fall Lake	Lake	A	5.5 ft	32 ft
9	Ten Mile Lake	Cass	A	20.5 ft	208 ft
10	Wabedo Lake	Cass	A	10.5 ft	95 ft
11	Sea Gull Lake	Cook	A	14.3 ft	40 ft
12	Loon Lake	Cook	A	17.4 ft	202 ft
13	St. Marys Lake	St. Louis	A	13.1 ft	44 ft
14	Sabin Lake	St. Louis	A	2.1 ft	52 ft
15	Bear Island Lake	St. Louis	A	7 ft	62 ft
16	Gunflint Lake	Cook	A	16.5 ft	200 ft
17	Flour Lake	Cook	A	18.2 ft	75 ft
18	Wynne Lake	St. Louis	A	7.3 ft	52 ft
19	Greenwood Lake	Cook	A	15.1 ft	112 ft
20	Six Mile Lake	Cass	A	11.5 ft	68 ft
21	Mukooda Lake	St. Louis	B	16.6 ft	78 ft
22	Little Trout Lake	St. Louis	B	20.3 ft	95 ft
23	Locator Lake	St. Louis	B	8.5 ft	52 ft
24	Snowbank Lake	Lake	B	15.1 ft	150 ft
25	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	NR	4.4 ft	80 ft
26	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	NR	7.5 ft	161 ft
27	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	NR	8.4 ft	161 ft
28	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	NR	11.5 ft	150 ft
29	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	NR	4.9 ft	80 ft
30	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	NR	4.8 ft	80 ft
31	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	NR	6.6 ft	184 ft
32	Agnes Lake	St. Louis	NR	11 ft	30 ft
33	War Club Lake	St. Louis	NR	7.9 ft	40 ft
34	Crane Lake	St. Louis	NR	6.3 ft	80 ft
35	Birch Lake	Unknown	NR	15 ft	34 ft
36	South Farm Lake	Lake	NR	5 ft	31 ft
37	Carp Lake	Unknown	NR	8.5 ft	34 ft
38	Fairy Lake	Todd	NR	14.2 ft	37 ft
39	Elbow Lake	St. Louis	NR	7 ft	60 ft
40	Hanson Lake	Lake	NR	18 ft	100 ft
41	Pine Lake	Cook	NR	16.9 ft	113 ft
42	Duncan Lake	Cook	NR	21.5 ft	130 ft
43	Rose Lake	Cook	NR	14.6 ft	130 ft
44	Ensign Lake	Lake	NR	10 ft	30 ft
45	St Mary'S Lake	St. Louis	NR	15 ft	44 ft
46	Newfound Lake	Lake	NR	12.8 ft	45 ft
47	Four Lake	Lake	NR	8 ft	25 ft
48	Shagawa Lake	St. Louis	NR	8.9 ft	48 ft
49	Ester Lake	Lake	NR	18.8 ft	110 ft
50	Topaz Lake	Lake	NR	17.6 ft	110 ft

Showing top 50 of 68 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have cisco species?

Cisco Species are found in 68 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is A (Excellent).

What are the best cisco species lakes in Minnesota?

The best cisco species lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Farm Lake, Garden Lake, Andrusia Lake, White Iron Lake, Elk Lake.

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.