Rainbow trout Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 23 Minnesota lakes · 14 in Michigan

Rainbow trout is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 14 lakes carry documentation. Rainbow trout is narrowly distributed — only 14 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 trout lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and Rainbow trout documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best Rainbow trout Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Bad Medicine Lake	Becker	A	25 ft	84 ft
2	Long Lake	Clearwater	A	20.5 ft	80 ft
3	Birch Lake	Cook	A	18 ft	69 ft
4	Trout Lake	Cook	A	18.4 ft	77 ft
5	Blue Lake	Hubbard	A	17.3 ft	84 ft
6	Tofte Lake	Lake	A	18.5 ft	73 ft
7	Big Watab Lake	Stearns	A	20.5 ft	123 ft
8	Leo Lake	Cook	A	15 ft	28 ft
9	Mayhew Lake	Cook	A	20.6 ft	84 ft
10	St James Pit Lake	St. Louis	A	47.6 ft	381 ft
11	Newman Lake	Hubbard	A	17.1 ft	63 ft
12	Sagamore Mine Lake	Crow Wing	A	23.8 ft	210 ft
13	Miner'S Pit West Lake	St. Louis	A	23.1 ft	140 ft
14	Erskine Lake	Itasca	A	18 ft	56 ft
15	Island Lake	Clearwater	A	14.1 ft	58 ft
16	Divide Lake	Lake	B	10.1 ft	22 ft
17	Bean Lake	Lake	B	9.8 ft	26 ft
18	Esther Lake	Cook	C	9.5 ft	35 ft
19	Little Mud Lake	Meeker	C	5.9 ft	42 ft
20	Briar Lake	St. Louis	D	6 ft	21 ft
21	Loon Lake	Aitkin	D	4 ft	21 ft
22	Upper Estuary Lake	St. Louis	D	1.9 ft	55 ft
23	Blue Lake	Scott	D	1.9 ft	50 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have rainbow trout?

Rainbow trout are found in 23 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is B (Good).

What are the best rainbow trout lakes in Minnesota?

The best rainbow trout lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Bad Medicine Lake, Long Lake, Birch Lake, Trout Lake, Blue Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.