Rainbow smelt Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 30 Minnesota lakes · 15 in Michigan

Rainbow smelt is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 15 lakes carry documentation. Rainbow smelt is narrowly distributed — only 15 lakes in Michigan 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 Rainbow smelt lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Rainbow smelt documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best Rainbow smelt Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Trout Lake	Cook	A	18.4 ft	77 ft
2	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	A	16.1 ft	112 ft
3	Hungry Jack Lake	Cook	A	18 ft	71 ft
4	Little Long Lake	St. Louis	A	21 ft	45 ft
5	Burntside Lake	St. Louis	A	16 ft	126 ft
6	Gunflint Lake	Cook	A	16.5 ft	200 ft
7	Bearskin Lake	Cook	A	21 ft	78 ft
8	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	A	17.5 ft	112 ft
9	Little Gunflint Lake	Cook	A	16.2 ft	200 ft
10	Iron Chief Complex Lake	St. Louis	A	24.5 ft	262.1 ft
11	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	B	11.5 ft	150 ft
12	Chester Lake	Cook	B	11.9 ft	35 ft
13	Gilbert Pit Lake	St. Louis	B	11.5 ft	443 ft
14	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	C	8.2 ft	150 ft
15	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	C	9.5 ft	161 ft
16	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	C	7.5 ft	184 ft
17	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	C	9.8 ft	150 ft
18	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	C	7.2 ft	161 ft
19	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	C	7.7 ft	161 ft
20	Lac la Croix Lake	St. Louis	C	8 ft	168 ft
21	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	D	3.6 ft	161 ft
22	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	D	5.9 ft	161 ft
23	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	D	6.6 ft	184 ft
24	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	D	6.6 ft	161 ft
25	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	D	4.9 ft	161 ft
26	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	D	3.6 ft	161 ft
27	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	D	5.9 ft	184 ft
28	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	D	5.2 ft	161 ft
29	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	D	4.1 ft	150 ft
30	Upper Estuary Lake	St. Louis	D	1.9 ft	55 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have rainbow smelt?

Rainbow smelt are found in 30 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is C (Fair).

What are the best rainbow smelt lakes in Minnesota?

The best rainbow smelt lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Trout Lake, Pokegama Lake, Hungry Jack Lake, Little Long Lake, Burntside Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.