golden redhorse Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 29 lakes

Rough fish like golden redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 29 Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. golden redhorse is narrowly distributed — only 29 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 golden redhorse lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and golden redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

50 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of golden redhorse Lakes

45%

17%

24%

Best golden redhorse Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with golden redhorse ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Side Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	32 ft	15
2	Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	79.8 ft	15
3	Wright Lake	Otter Tail	MN	B	32 ft	14
4	Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	B	78 ft	36
5	Koronis Lake	Stearns	MN	C	132 ft	22
6	Lower Twin Lake	Wadena	MN	C	26 ft	21
7	Little Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	22 ft	12
8	St. Croix Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
9	St. Croix 1.5 Mi. Upstream of Point Douglas Dr Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
10	South Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	43 ft	10
11	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
12	Pool on Lake St. Croix Downstream of I94 Bridge	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
13	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
14	Orwell Lake	Otter Tail	MN	C	25 ft	17
15	St. Croix 3.5 Mi. Downstream of E Chestnut St Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
16	St. Croix 0.3 Mi. Downstream of I Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
17	Dixon Lake	Itasca	MN	C	29 ft	15
18	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	MN	D	43 ft	24
19	Fish Lake	Wright	MN	D	38 ft	17
20	Rice Lake	Stearns	MN	D	41 ft	21
21	Horseshoe Lake	Stearns	MN	D	57 ft	25
22	Unnamed Lake	Wright	MN	D	38 ft	17
23	Fish Lake	Kanabec	MN	F	8 ft	21
24	Pokegama Lake	Pine	MN	F	25 ft	23
25	Silver Lake	Olmsted	MN	F	11 ft	13
26	Knife Lake	Kanabec	MN	F	15 ft	19
27	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	F	60 ft	47
28	Spring Lake	Dakota	MN	F	17 ft	21
29	Byllesby Lake	Dakota	MN	F	50 ft	19

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have golden redhorse?

golden redhorse are found in 29 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 29 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with golden redhorse is D (Poor).

What are the best lakes for golden redhorse?

The best golden redhorse lakes by water quality are Side Lake, Sturgeon Lake, Wright Lake, Lake St. Croix, Koronis Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where golden redhorse have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with golden redhorse?

golden redhorse are most commonly found alongside black crappie, bluegill, northern pike, walleye, yellow perch. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.