lake trout Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 48 lakes

lake trout is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 48 lakes carry documentation. lake trout is narrowly distributed — only 48 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 trout lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and lake trout documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

131 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of lake trout Lakes

58%

19%

Best lake trout Lakes by Water Quality

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

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Birch Lake	Cook	MN	A	69 ft	3
2	Trout Lake	Itasca	MN	A	157 ft	9
3	Trout Lake	Cook	MN	A	77 ft	6
4	Mukooda Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	78 ft	14
5	Caribou Lake	Itasca	MN	A	152 ft	7
6	Big Trout Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	128 ft	20
7	Hanson Lake	Lake	MN	A	100 ft	6
8	Bluewater Lake	Itasca	MN	A	120 ft	15
9	Pine Lake	Cook	MN	A	113 ft	10
10	Duncan Lake	Cook	MN	A	130 ft	5
11	Burntside Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	126 ft	15
12	Mayhew Lake	Cook	MN	A	84 ft	8
13	Loon Lake	Cook	MN	A	202 ft	10
14	Gunflint Lake	Cook	MN	A	200 ft	12
15	Kemo Lake	Cook	MN	A	65 ft	3
16	Flour Lake	Cook	MN	A	75 ft	9
17	Ester Lake	Lake	MN	A	110 ft	8
18	Bearskin Lake	Cook	MN	A	78 ft	9
19	Topaz Lake	Lake	MN	A	110 ft	4
20	Peter Lake	Cook	MN	A	120 ft	4
21	Amoeber Lake	Lake	MN	A	110 ft	4
22	Little Gunflint Lake	Cook	MN	A	200 ft	12
23	16-0524-00 Lake	Cook	MN	A	142 ft	4
24	Mountain Lake	Unknown	MN	A	130 ft	7
25	Iron Chief Complex Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	262.1 ft	3
26	West Pike Lake	Cook	MN	A	120 ft	5
27	Little Trout Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	95 ft	8
28	Greenwood Lake	Cook	MN	A	112 ft	10
29	East Bearskin Lake	Cook	MN	B	66 ft	12
30	Rose Lake	Cook	MN	B	130 ft	5
31	Ogishkemuncie Lake	Lake	MN	B	75 ft	5
32	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	B	150 ft	18
33	Snowbank Lake	Lake	MN	B	150 ft	11
34	Mesaba Lake	Cook	MN	B	65 ft	4
35	Tarry Lake	Cook	MN	B	66 ft	3
36	Rivalry Lake	Lake	MN	B	100 ft	7
37	Gilbert Pit Lake	St. Louis	MN	B	443 ft	10
38	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
39	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
40	Strup Lake	Lake	MN	C	195 ft	5
41	Little Saganaga Lake	Cook	MN	C	150 ft	5
42	Lac la Croix Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	168 ft	12
43	South Lake	Cook	MN	C	140 ft	6
44	Rove Lake	Cook	MN	C	130 ft	7
45	Watap Lake	Cook	MN	C	210 ft	1
46	Long Island Lake	Cook	MN	C	85 ft	6
47	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	150 ft	18
48	Chaser Lake	Cook	MN	F	65 ft	4

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have lake trout?

lake trout are found in 48 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 48 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with lake trout is B (Good).

What are the best lakes for lake trout?

The best lake trout lakes by water quality are Birch Lake, Trout Lake, Trout Lake, Mukooda Lake, Caribou Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where lake trout have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with lake trout?

lake trout are most commonly found alongside white sucker, smallmouth bass, yellow perch, northern pike, burbot. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.