northern sunfish Lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin & Michigan

Other SpeciesFound in 36 lakes

northern sunfish is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 36 lakes carry documentation. northern sunfish is narrowly distributed — only 36 lakes in Minnesota 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 northern sunfish lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and northern sunfish documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota lakes →

Avg. Grade

70 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of northern sunfish Lakes

61%

28%

11%

Best northern sunfish Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with northern sunfish ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Spearhead Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	81 ft	17
2	Island Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	76 ft	19
3	North Star Lake	Itasca	MN	A	90 ft	13
4	Rush Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	105 ft	21
5	Bluewater Lake	Itasca	MN	A	120 ft	15
6	Pig Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	56 ft	20
7	Clamshell Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	44 ft	18
8	Bertha Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	64 ft	22
9	Jack Lake	Cass	MN	A	110 ft	13
10	Hen Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	105 ft	21
11	Clubhouse Lake	Itasca	MN	A	103 ft	14
12	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	138 ft	23
13	Eagle Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	77 ft	16
14	Little Pine Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	36 ft	18
15	Island Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	65 ft	16
16	Turtle Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	45 ft	16
17	Baby Lake	Cass	MN	A	69 ft	16
18	Broadwater Bay Lake	Cass	MN	A	54 ft	22
19	Three Island Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	25 ft	17
20	Beltrami Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	50 ft	16
21	Movil Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	50 ft	20
22	Kabekona Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	133 ft	20
23	Bass Lake	Itasca	MN	B	76 ft	19
24	Lawrence Lake	Cass	MN	B	71 ft	16
25	Moose Lake	Itasca	MN	B	61 ft	17
26	Sucker Lake	Lake	MN	B	111 ft	14
27	Turtle River Lake	Beltrami	MN	B	63 ft	20
28	Balsam Lake	Itasca	MN	B	37 ft	14
29	Leavitt Lake	Cass	MN	B	60 ft	15
30	Little Clubhouse Lake	Itasca	MN	B	103 ft	14
31	Peary Lake	St. Louis	MN	B	15 ft	8
32	Daggett Lake	Crow Wing	MN	B	23 ft	21
33	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	C	34 ft	14
34	Basswood Lake	Lake	MN	C	111 ft	14
35	Little Turtle Lake	Beltrami	MN	C	25 ft	15
36	Little Moose Lake	Itasca	MN	C	23 ft	13

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have northern sunfish?

northern sunfish are found in 36 graded lakes: 36 in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of lakes with northern sunfish is B (Good).

What are the best lakes for northern sunfish?

The best northern sunfish lakes by water quality are Spearhead Lake, Island Lake, North Star Lake, Rush Lake, Bluewater Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where northern sunfish have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with northern sunfish?

northern sunfish are most commonly found alongside black crappie, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, yellow perch. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in northern sunfish Lakes

Black Crappie Lakes

Found together in 36 lakes · 41 total

Northern pike Lakes

Found together in 36 lakes · 99 total

Pumpkinseed Lakes

Found together in 36 lakes · 145 total

Rock bass Lakes

Found together in 36 lakes · 117 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 36 lakes · 113 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 35 lakes · 240 total

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.