gizzard shad Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 13 Minnesota lakes

Rough fish like gizzard shad are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 13 Minnesota lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. gizzard shad is narrowly distributed — only 13 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 gizzard shad lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and gizzard shad documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best gizzard shad Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Lake St. Croix	Washington	B	5.2 ft	78 ft
2	St. Croix Lake	Washington	C	8.7 ft	78 ft
3	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	C	4.3 ft	78 ft
4	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	C	5.9 ft	78 ft
5	Pickerel Lake	Dakota	D	3.5 ft	11 ft
6	Little Spirit Lake	Jackson	D	3.3 ft	8 ft
7	Winona Lake	Winona	D	2.6 ft	38 ft
8	Madison Lake	Blue Earth	D	4 ft	59 ft
9	Upper Estuary Lake	St. Louis	D	1.9 ft	55 ft
10	Pepin Lake	Pepin	F	3 ft	60 ft
11	Spring Lake	Dakota	F	2.1 ft	17 ft
12	Little Tuttle Lake	Martin	F	1 ft	7 ft
13	Bright Lake	Martin	F	1 ft	7 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have gizzard shad?

gizzard shad are found in 13 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is D (Poor).

What are the best gizzard shad lakes in Minnesota?

The best gizzard shad lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Lake St. Croix, St. Croix Lake, Pool of Lake St. Croix, Pool on Lake St. Croix, Pickerel Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.