Largemouth Bass Fishing Guide

Game FishDocumented in 2,593 graded lakes across 3 states

The most popular game fish in America, an ambush predator that crushes topwater baits around cover. Largemouth grow big in warm, fertile lakes.

Largemouth Bass is a primary the 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces LakeQuality covers sport-fishing target. 2,593 lakes have an official record of the species — the actual population almost certainly extends further, since not every lake gets a full DNR fishery survey every year. With 1,300 lakes in Minnesota, 1,125 in Wisconsin, and 168 in Michigan carrying a documented record, Largemouth Bass is one of the more accessible targets in the dataset.

Game-fish presence on a the 49 states and 2 Canadian provinces LakeQuality covers lake also signals enough water-quality stability to support the prey species the game fish depend on — perch, alewife, ciscoes — which themselves require reasonably oxygenated, clear water. On our A–F scale, the cleanest Largemouth Bass lakes tend to also be the highest-graded — the same water-clarity and nutrient conditions that support the species also produce the higher grades.

Where they live

Weed edges, docks, laydowns, and lily pads in warm, shallow-to-mid water with abundant vegetation.

Water quality they need

Largemouth tolerate warmer, more productive water than most game fish, so they show up across the grade scale — but a healthy, weedy mesotrophic lake (B–C water) with clarity to grow vegetation produces the best populations.

When to catch them

Fires up in late spring around the spawn in shallow bays, stays strong all summer around cover, and feeds heavily in fall.

Largemouth Bass Seasonal Forecast & Techniques

Part of the LakeQuality Fishing Forecast. Spawn trigger: Beds in shallow, protected bays at 60–68°F, usually late spring. Forage: Bluegill, crayfish, frogs, and shad. For a forecast tuned to a specific lake's measured clarity and depth, open that lake's forecast.

Season	Where they hold	Structure & cover	Technique
Spring	shallow 1–6 ft	protected bays, pads, laydowns, warming flats	soft plastics, jigs, lipless cranks pre-spawn
Summer	shallow-to-mid 3–15 ft	weed edges, docks, lily pads, deep weedlines	topwater at dawn/dusk, Texas-rigged plastics, frogs
Fall	shallow 2–10 ft	bays chasing baitfish, remaining green weeds	spinnerbaits, squarebill cranks, chatterbaits
Winter / Ice	deep 12–25 ft	main-lake basin edges (largely dormant in the north)	slow finesse — a marginal cold-water bite

Clear-water tactics:finesse: drop-shot, wacky/ned rignatural translucent colorslonger casts, fish low lightStained-water tactics:reaction baits: chatterbait, dark jigsthump/vibration & dark silhouettesflip heavy cover

2,593

Total Lakes

Avg. Grade

40 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Largemouth Bass Lakes

531

20%

516

20%

311

12%

230

129

Best Largemouth Bass Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with largemouth bass ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Lobster Lake	Douglas	MN	A	65 ft	18
2	East Fox Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	65 ft	15
3	Deep Portage Lake	Cass	MN	A	105 ft	9
4	Clearwater Lake	Wright	MN	A	73 ft	17
5	Clearwater Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	54 ft	16
6	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	65 ft	14
7	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	100 ft	21
8	Latoka Lake	Douglas	MN	A	108 ft	16
9	Little Birch Lake	Todd	MN	A	89 ft	20
10	North Long Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	97 ft	18
11	Bad Medicine Lake	Becker	MN	A	84 ft	13
12	Mud Lake	Becker	MN	A	34 ft	16
13	Big Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	35 ft	17
14	Big Lake	Carlton	MN	A	25 ft	9
15	Big Lake	Sherburne	MN	A	48 ft	14
16	Big Sugar Bush Lake	Becker	MN	A	42 ft	13
17	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	55 ft	20
18	Pelican Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	104 ft	17
19	Birch Lake	Wright	MN	A	52 ft	9
20	Birch Lake	Cass	MN	A	45 ft	14
21	Round Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	125 ft	18
22	Round Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	51 ft	20
23	Round Lake	Becker	MN	A	69 ft	18
24	Ada Lake	Cass	MN	A	60 ft	16
25	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	138 ft	23
26	Whitefish Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	30 ft	12
27	Horseshoe Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	56 ft	11
28	Washburn Lake	Cass	MN	A	111 ft	21
29	Long Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	A	46 ft	15
30	Long Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	80 ft	15
31	Long Lake	Cass	MN	A	115 ft	14
32	Long Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	87 ft	11
33	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	128 ft	16
34	Long Lake	Becker	MN	A	61 ft	16
35	Long Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	135 ft	14
36	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	88 ft	1
37	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	73 ft	17
38	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	A	72 ft	10
39	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	A	85 ft	12
40	Dead Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	34 ft	9
41	Dead Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	65 ft	18
42	Unnamed Lake	Nicollet	MN	A	35 ft	6
43	Unnamed Lake	Sherburne	MN	A	43 ft	7
44	Maple Lake	Douglas	MN	A	78 ft	17
45	Maple Lake	Itasca	MN	A	39 ft	13
46	West Twin Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	42 ft	12
47	Shallow Lake	Itasca	MN	A	85 ft	12
48	Shallow Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	10 ft	13
49	Trout Lake	Itasca	MN	A	157 ft	9
50	Detroit Lake	Becker	MN	A	89 ft	19

Showing top 50 of 2,593 lakes with largemouth bass.

Frequently Asked Questions

What water quality do largemouth bass need?

How many lakes have largemouth bass?

Largemouth Bass are found in 2,593 graded lakes: 1,300 in Minnesota, 1,125 in Wisconsin, 168 in Michigan. The average water quality grade of lakes with largemouth bass is B (Good).

What are the best lakes for largemouth bass?

The best largemouth bass lakes by water quality are Lobster Lake, East Fox Lake, Deep Portage Lake, Clearwater Lake, Clearwater Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where largemouth bass have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with largemouth bass?

Largemouth Bass are most commonly found alongside largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, black crappie, yellow perch. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Largemouth Bass Lakes

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 1,265 lakes · 1,601 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 1,247 lakes · 2,487 total

Black Crappie Lakes

Found together in 1,230 lakes · 1,428 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 1,205 lakes · 1,631 total

Pumpkinseed Lakes

Found together in 1,134 lakes · 1,370 total

Panfish Lakes

Found together in 1,104 lakes · 1,152 total

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys. Species profiles are general reference; always check current state regulations before fishing.