rainbow smelt Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin
Other SpeciesFound in 29 lakes
29
Total Lakes
29
Minnesota
0
Wisconsin
B
Avg. Grade
161 ft
Avg. Depth
Water Quality of rainbow smelt Lakes
A
11
38%
B
2
7%
C
7
24%
D
9
31%
F
0
0%
Best rainbow smelt Lakes by Water Quality
Top 50 lakes with rainbow smelt ranked by overall water quality grade.
| Rank | Lake | County | State | Grade | Depth | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trout Lake | Cook | MN | A | 77 ft | 6 |
| 2 | Pokegama Lake | Itasca | MN | A | 112 ft | 19 |
| 3 | Hungry Jack Lake | Cook | MN | A | 71 ft | 9 |
| 4 | Little Long Lake | St. Louis | MN | A | 45 ft | 11 |
| 5 | Burntside Lake | St. Louis | MN | A | 126 ft | 15 |
| 6 | Gunflint Lake | Cook | MN | A | 200 ft | 12 |
| 7 | Bearskin Lake | Cook | MN | A | 78 ft | 9 |
| 8 | Pokegama Lake | Itasca | MN | A | 112 ft | 19 |
| 9 | Chester Lake | Cook | MN | A | — | 3 |
| 10 | Little Gunflint Lake | Cook | MN | A | 200 ft | 12 |
| 11 | Iron Chief Complex Lake | St. Louis | MN | A | 262.1 ft | 3 |
| 12 | Namakan Lake | St. Louis | MN | B | 150 ft | 18 |
| 13 | Gilbert Pit Lake | St. Louis | MN | B | 443 ft | 10 |
| 14 | Namakan Lake | St. Louis | MN | C | 150 ft | 18 |
| 15 | Rainy Lake | St. Louis | MN | C | 161 ft | 17 |
| 16 | Sand Point Lake | St. Louis | MN | C | 184 ft | 21 |
| 17 | Namakan Lake | St. Louis | MN | C | 150 ft | 18 |
| 18 | Rainy Lake | St. Louis | MN | C | 161 ft | 17 |
| 19 | Rainy Lake | Koochiching | MN | C | 161 ft | 17 |
| 20 | Lac la Croix Lake | St. Louis | MN | C | 168 ft | 12 |
| 21 | Rainy Lake | Koochiching | MN | D | 161 ft | 17 |
| 22 | Rainy Lake | St. Louis | MN | D | 161 ft | 17 |
| 23 | Sand Point Lake | St. Louis | MN | D | 184 ft | 21 |
| 24 | Rainy Lake | Koochiching | MN | D | 161 ft | 17 |
| 25 | Rainy Lake | Koochiching | MN | D | 161 ft | 17 |
| 26 | Rainy Lake | Koochiching | MN | D | 161 ft | 17 |
| 27 | Sand Point Lake | St. Louis | MN | D | 184 ft | 21 |
| 28 | Rainy Lake | Koochiching | MN | D | 161 ft | 17 |
| 29 | Namakan Lake | St. Louis | MN | D | 150 ft | 18 |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many lakes have rainbow smelt?
rainbow smelt are found in 29 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin — 29 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with rainbow smelt is B (Good).
What are the best lakes for rainbow smelt?
The best rainbow smelt lakes by water quality are Trout Lake, Pokegama Lake, Hungry Jack Lake, Little Long Lake, Burntside Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where rainbow smelt have been documented by state DNR surveys.
What other fish are found with rainbow smelt?
rainbow smelt are most commonly found alongside yellow perch, white sucker, northern pike, smallmouth bass, walleye. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.