Orangespotted Sunfish Lakes in Minnesota, 61 Lakes

Orangespotted Sunfish is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 61 lakes carry documentation. Orangespotted Sunfish is narrowly distributed — only 61 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 phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Orangespotted Sunfish lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Orangespotted Sunfish documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Minnesota Lakes

Counties

Orangespotted Sunfish Lakes Map

Every Minnesota lake with documented orangespotted sunfish.

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Best Orangespotted Sunfish Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Clarity	Depth
1	Green Lake	Kandiyohi	14.1 ft	110 ft
2	Allie Lake	Renville	3 ft	12 ft
3	Sarah Lake	Murray	3.9 ft	10 ft
4	Big Kandiyohi Lake	Kandiyohi	5.2 ft	18 ft
5	Round Grove Lake	McLeod	2.3 ft	7 ft
6	Currant Lake	Murray	1.6 ft	9.5 ft
7	Round Lake	Jackson	2 ft	9 ft
8	Emily Lake	Pope	2 ft	6 ft
9	Willmar Lake	Kandiyohi	2 ft	14 ft
10	Wood Lake	Yellow Medicine	3 ft	9 ft
11	Buffalo Lake	Murray	1.1 ft	8.5 ft
12	Cottonwood Lake	Cottonwood	2.1 ft	10 ft
13	Little Spirit Lake	Jackson	3.3 ft	8 ft
14	Lower Elk Lake	Grant	1.8 ft	13 ft
15	Okabena Lake	Nobles	3.3 ft	16 ft
16	Kansas Lake	Watonwan	1.5 ft	7 ft
17	High Island Lake	Sibley	2.1 ft	6.5 ft
18	Yankton Lake	Lyon	0.8 ft	8 ft
19	Mud Lake	Martin	1.6 ft	19 ft
20	Long Lake	Kandiyohi	5 ft	16 ft
21	Clear Lake	Martin	1 ft	7 ft
22	East Solomon Lake	Kandiyohi	2.6 ft	14 ft
23	Charlotte Lake	Stevens	0.9 ft	20 ft
24	Rice Lake	Hennepin	2.3 ft	11.5 ft
25	Hall Lake	Martin	3 ft	27 ft
26	Collinwood Lake	Wright	4 ft	28 ft
27	Loon Lake	Jackson	0.9 ft	8 ft
28	Buffalo Lake	Wright	3 ft	33 ft
29	Amber Lake	Martin	2 ft	19 ft
30	Preston Lake	Renville	5 ft	11 ft
31	Cottonwood Lake	Lyon	1.8 ft	7 ft
32	Stay Lake	Lincoln	1 ft	6 ft
33	East Toqua Lake	Big Stone	1.6 ft	9 ft
34	Split Rock Reservoir	Pipestone	1.3 ft	16 ft
35	Ocheda Lake	Nobles	1.6 ft	5 ft
36	Willie Lake	Meeker	2.1 ft	17 ft
37	Winsted Lake	McLeod	3.3 ft	12 ft
38	East Graham Lake	Nobles	3.3 ft	8 ft
39	Willmert Lake	Martin	3.3 ft	8 ft
40	Bright Lake	Martin	1 ft	7 ft
41	West Graham Lake	Nobles	4.1 ft	8 ft
42	Temperance Lake	Martin	0.7 ft	5 ft
43	Bloody Lake	Murray	0.7 ft	9 ft
44	Corabelle Lake	Murray	0.5 ft	6 ft
45	Shetek Lake	Murray	1.1 ft	10 ft
46	Unnamed Lake	Big Stone	2 ft	15 ft
47	Barrett Lake	Grant	4 ft	28 ft
48	Laura Lake	Redwood	2 ft	21 ft
49	Tyson Lake	Yellow Medicine	4.5 ft	8 ft
50	Fountain Lake	Freeborn	1.7 ft	14 ft

Showing top 50 of 61 lakes.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have orangespotted sunfish?

Orangespotted Sunfish are found in 61 lakes in Minnesota.

What are the best orangespotted sunfish lakes in Minnesota?

The best orangespotted sunfish lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Green Lake, Allie Lake, Sarah Lake, Big Kandiyohi Lake, Round Grove Lake.

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