freshwater drum Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 93 Minnesota lakes

Rough fish like freshwater drum are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 93 Minnesota lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. freshwater drum is narrowly distributed — only 93 Minnesota lakes and 0 Wisconsin lakes 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 freshwater drum lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and freshwater drum documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best freshwater drum Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	A	16.1 ft	55 ft
2	Chippewa Lake	Douglas	A	15.1 ft	95 ft
3	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	A	16.4 ft	66 ft
4	Andrew Lake	Douglas	A	13.9 ft	83 ft
5	Lida Lake	Otter Tail	B	13.5 ft	58 ft
6	Florida Lake	Kandiyohi	B	12.5 ft	40 ft
7	Minnewaska Lake	Pope	B	11.2 ft	32 ft
8	Roemhildts Lake	Le Sueur	B	10.2 ft	60 ft
9	Lake St. Croix	Washington	B	5.2 ft	78 ft
10	Medicine Lake	Beltrami	B	7.9 ft	44 ft
11	Little Pine Lake	Otter Tail	B	9.5 ft	63 ft
12	Big Pine Lake	Otter Tail	B	7 ft	76 ft
13	Eagle Lake	Kandiyohi	C	6.4 ft	67 ft
14	Andrew Lake	Kandiyohi	C	9 ft	26 ft
15	Waconia Lake	Carver	C	7.3 ft	37 ft
16	Frances Lake	Le Sueur	C	6 ft	60 ft
17	Games Lake	Kandiyohi	C	5.6 ft	42 ft
18	Little Chippewa Lake	Douglas	C	9 ft	24 ft
19	St. Croix Lake	Washington	C	8.7 ft	78 ft
20	St. Croix 1.5 Mi. Upstream of Point Douglas Dr Lake	Washington	C	9.4 ft	78 ft
21	Pelican Lake	Pope	C	5 ft	34 ft
22	Maple Lake	Polk	C	3.4 ft	14 ft
23	Volney Lake	Le Sueur	C	5 ft	67 ft
24	Upper Red Lake: West-Central	Beltrami	C	6.6 ft	15 ft
25	Upper Red Lake: East	Beltrami	C	6.6 ft	15 ft
26	South Long Lake	Ramsey	C	4.3 ft	30 ft
27	Blackduck Lake	Beltrami	C	6.2 ft	28 ft
28	Upper Red Lake: West	Beltrami	C	6.6 ft	15 ft
29	Burandt Lake	Carver	C	3.9 ft	24 ft
30	Upper Red Lake: East Central	Beltrami	C	6.6 ft	15 ft
31	Upper Red Lake: Central	Beltrami	C	6.6 ft	15 ft
32	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	C	4.3 ft	78 ft
33	Pool on Lake St. Croix Downstream of I94 Bridge	Washington	C	5 ft	78 ft
34	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	C	5.9 ft	78 ft
35	St. Croix 3.5 Mi. Downstream of E Chestnut St Lake	Washington	C	5.9 ft	78 ft
36	St. Croix 0.3 Mi. Downstream of I Lake	Washington	C	6.1 ft	78 ft
37	Rays Lake	Le Sueur	D	3.6 ft	32 ft
38	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	D	3.9 ft	43 ft
39	Norway Lake	Kandiyohi	D	3 ft	42 ft
40	Barrett Lake	Grant	D	4 ft	28 ft
41	Pickerel Lake	Dakota	D	3.6 ft	11 ft
42	Pomme de Terre Lake	Grant	D	4 ft	23 ft
43	Mazaska Lake	Rice	D	2.5 ft	50 ft
44	Lake Jefferson	Le Sueur	D	5 ft	37 ft
45	Reitz Lake	Carver	D	3.1 ft	36 ft
46	Little Spirit Lake	Jackson	D	3.3 ft	8 ft
47	Winona Lake	Winona	D	2.6 ft	38 ft
48	Madison Lake	Blue Earth	D	3.6 ft	59 ft
49	Rush Lake	Chisago	D	3 ft	24 ft
50	Round Lake	Jackson	D	2 ft	9 ft

Showing top 50 of 93 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have freshwater drum?

freshwater drum are found in 93 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is D (Poor).

What are the best freshwater drum lakes in Minnesota?

The best freshwater drum lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Pelican Lake, Chippewa Lake, Lizzie Lake, Andrew Lake, Lida Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.