Quillback Fishing Guide

Other SpeciesDocumented in 33 graded lakes across 1 state

Quillback is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 33 lakes carry documentation. Quillback is narrowly distributed — only 33 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 Quillback lake list below against the letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Quillback documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota lakes →

Avg. Grade

25 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of Quillback Lakes

12%

24%

45%

Best Quillback Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with quillback ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Lake St Croix	Pierce	MN	B	78 ft	36
2	Pool	Washington	MN	B	78 ft	36
3	Upper Red Lake: West-Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
4	Pool of Lake St Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
5	Upper Red Lake: East Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
6	Upper Estuary Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	55 ft	33
7	Round Lake	Jackson	MN	D	9 ft	17
8	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	MN	D	43 ft	24
9	Emily Lake	Pope	MN	D	6 ft	26
10	Upper Red Lake: East	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
11	Upper Red Lake: West	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
12	Upper Red Lake: Central	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
13	Little Spirit Lake	Jackson	MN	D	8 ft	23
14	Madison Lake	Blue Earth	MN	D	59 ft	20
15	Mud Lake	Martin	MN	F	19 ft	17
16	Hall Lake	Martin	MN	F	27 ft	19
17	Sisseton Lake	Martin	MN	F	19 ft	20
18	Fox Lake	Martin	MN	F	20 ft	17
19	Amber Lake	Martin	MN	F	19 ft	17
20	Budd Lake	Martin	MN	F	23 ft	20
21	East Toqua Lake	Big Stone	MN	F	9 ft	15
22	Byllesby Lake	Dakota	MN	F	50 ft	19
23	Gorman Lake	Le Sueur	MN	F	14 ft	16
24	East Graham Lake	Nobles	MN	F	8 ft	15
25	Bright Lake	Martin	MN	F	7 ft	20
26	West Graham Lake	Nobles	MN	F	8 ft	17
27	Lime Lake	Murray	MN	F	7 ft	13
28	Bloody Lake	Murray	MN	F	9 ft	15
29	Shetek Lake	Murray	MN	F	10 ft	17
30	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	NR	60 ft	47
31	Spring Lake	Dakota	MN	NR	17 ft	21
32	Little Tuttle Lake	Martin	MN	NR	7 ft	20
33	Talcot Lake	Cottonwood	MN	NR	6 ft	19

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have quillback?

Quillback are found in 33 graded lakes: 33 in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of lakes with quillback is D (Nutrient-rich).

What are the best lakes for quillback?

The best quillback lakes by water quality are Lake St Croix, Pool, Upper Red Lake: West-Central, Pool of Lake St Croix, Upper Red Lake: East Central. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where quillback have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with quillback?

Quillback are most commonly found alongside black crappie, quillback, walleye, yellow perch, white sucker. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Other Fish Species in Quillback Lakes

Black Crappie Lakes

Found together in 33 lakes · 1,428 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 33 lakes · 1,982 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 32 lakes · 1,631 total

White Sucker Lakes

Found together in 31 lakes · 1,256 total

Northern Pike Lakes

Found together in 30 lakes · 2,487 total

Bluegill Lakes

Found together in 29 lakes · 1,601 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.