Largemouth Bass Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 1,300 Minnesota lakes · 1,125 in Wisconsin · 168 in Michigan

Largemouth Bass is a primary Minnesota 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. Largemouth Bass is widely distributed: 1,300 lakes in Minnesota, 1,125 in Wisconsin, and 168 in Michigan. That breadth means anglers across most of the coverage area can find a documented Largemouth Bass lake within a reasonable drive.

Game-fish presence on a Minnesota 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.

1,300

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

467

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Largemouth Bass Lakes Map

Every Minnesota lake with documented largemouth bass, colored by water-quality grade.

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Best Largemouth Bass Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Lobster Lake	Douglas	A	13 ft	65 ft
2	East Fox Lake	Crow Wing	A	16.4 ft	65 ft
3	Deep Portage Lake	Cass	A	15.4 ft	105 ft
4	Clearwater Lake	Wright	A	9.8 ft	73 ft
5	Clearwater Lake	Crow Wing	A	13 ft	54 ft
6	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	A	10 ft	65 ft
7	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	A	18.5 ft	100 ft
8	Latoka Lake	Douglas	A	19 ft	108 ft
9	Little Birch Lake	Todd	A	13 ft	89 ft
10	North Long Lake	Crow Wing	A	15.1 ft	97 ft
11	Bad Medicine Lake	Becker	A	25 ft	84 ft
12	Mud Lake	Becker	A	12.5 ft	34 ft
13	Big Lake	Beltrami	A	9.7 ft	35 ft
14	Big Lake	Carlton	A	10 ft	25 ft
15	Big Lake	Sherburne	A	13.6 ft	48 ft
16	Big Sugar Bush Lake	Becker	A	16.5 ft	42 ft
17	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	A	16.4 ft	55 ft
18	Pelican Lake	Crow Wing	A	14.3 ft	104 ft
19	Birch Lake	Wright	A	15 ft	52 ft
20	Birch Lake	Cass	A	14 ft	45 ft
21	Round Lake	Aitkin	A	14.5 ft	125 ft
22	Round Lake	Crow Wing	A	13.5 ft	51 ft
23	Round Lake	Becker	A	10 ft	69 ft
24	Ada Lake	Cass	A	14 ft	60 ft
25	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	A	14.4 ft	138 ft
26	Whitefish Lake	Beltrami	A	12.5 ft	30 ft
27	Horseshoe Lake	Crow Wing	A	14.4 ft	56 ft
28	Washburn Lake	Cass	A	14.1 ft	111 ft
29	Long Lake	Kandiyohi	A	10.5 ft	46 ft
30	Long Lake	Clearwater	A	20.5 ft	80 ft
31	Long Lake	Cass	A	21.5 ft	115 ft
32	Long Lake	Beltrami	A	20 ft	87 ft
33	Long Lake	Otter Tail	A	12.3 ft	128 ft
34	Long Lake	Becker	A	19.5 ft	61 ft
35	Long Lake	Hubbard	A	11.2 ft	135 ft
36	Long Lake	Otter Tail	A	12.1 ft	88 ft
37	Long Lake	Otter Tail	A	11.6 ft	73 ft
38	Long Lake	Itasca	A	16.7 ft	72 ft
39	Long Lake	Itasca	A	16.9 ft	85 ft
40	Dead Lake	Hubbard	A	16 ft	34 ft
41	Dead Lake	Otter Tail	A	10.2 ft	65 ft
42	Unnamed Lake	Nicollet	A	5.6 ft	35 ft
43	Unnamed Lake	Sherburne	A	13 ft	43 ft
44	Maple Lake	Douglas	A	14.1 ft	78 ft
45	Maple Lake	Itasca	A	15.3 ft	39 ft
46	West Twin Lake	Crow Wing	A	13.3 ft	42 ft
47	Shallow Lake	Itasca	A	16.4 ft	85 ft
48	Shallow Lake	Hubbard	A	8.2 ft	10 ft
49	Trout Lake	Itasca	A	18 ft	157 ft
50	Detroit Lake	Becker	A	14 ft	89 ft

Showing top 50 of 1,300 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have largemouth bass?

Largemouth Bass are found in 1,300 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota?

The best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Lobster Lake, East Fox Lake, Deep Portage Lake, Clearwater Lake, Clearwater Lake.

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.