lake sturgeon Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 41 lakes

lake sturgeon is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 41 lakes carry documentation. lake sturgeon is narrowly distributed — only 41 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 lake sturgeon lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and lake sturgeon documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

81 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of lake sturgeon Lakes

12%

22%

37%

22%

Best lake sturgeon Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with lake sturgeon ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Round Lake	Becker	MN	A	69 ft	18
2	Detroit Lake	Becker	MN	A	89 ft	19
3	Otter Tail Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	120 ft	17
4	White Earth Lake	Becker	MN	A	120 ft	17
5	Many Point Lake	Becker	MN	A	92 ft	16
6	Deer Lake	Otter Tail	MN	B	26 ft	16
7	East Lost Lake	Otter Tail	MN	B	26 ft	16
8	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	B	150 ft	18
9	Wright Lake	Otter Tail	MN	B	32 ft	14
10	Hoot Lake	Otter Tail	MN	B	20 ft	16
11	Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	B	78 ft	36
12	Little Pine Lake	Otter Tail	MN	B	63 ft	20
13	Big Pine Lake	Otter Tail	MN	B	76 ft	20
14	Rush Lake	Otter Tail	MN	B	68 ft	19
15	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
16	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	184 ft	21
17	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
18	St. Croix Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
19	St. Croix 1.5 Mi. Upstream of Point Douglas Dr Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
20	Upper Red Lake: West-Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
21	Upper Red Lake: East	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
22	Upper Red Lake: West	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
23	Upper Red Lake: East Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
24	Upper Red Lake: Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
25	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
26	Pool on Lake St. Croix Downstream of I94 Bridge	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
27	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
28	St. Croix 3.5 Mi. Downstream of E Chestnut St Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
29	St. Croix 0.3 Mi. Downstream of I Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
30	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
31	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
32	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
33	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
34	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	184 ft	21
35	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	184 ft	21
36	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	150 ft	18
37	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
38	Becker Lake	Becker	MN	D	120 ft	17
39	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	F	80 ft	16
40	Pokegama Lake	Pine	MN	F	25 ft	23
41	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	F	60 ft	47

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have lake sturgeon?

lake sturgeon are found in 41 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 41 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with lake sturgeon is C (Fair).

What are the best lakes for lake sturgeon?

The best lake sturgeon lakes by water quality are Round Lake, Detroit Lake, Otter Tail Lake, White Earth Lake, Many Point Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where lake sturgeon have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with lake sturgeon?

lake sturgeon 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.