redhorse Lakes in Minnesota, Wisconsin & Michigan

Other SpeciesFound in 49 lakes

Rough fish like redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 49 Minnesota, Wisconsin, and Michigan lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. redhorse is narrowly distributed — only 49 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 redhorse lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota lakes →

Avg. Grade

91 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of redhorse Lakes

12%

10%

16%

51%

10%

Best redhorse Lakes by Water Quality

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

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Cass Lake Allens Bay	Beltrami	MN	A	120 ft	21
2	Cass Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	120 ft	21
3	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	65 ft	14
4	Bemidji Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	76 ft	16
5	Three Island Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	25 ft	17
6	Movil Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	50 ft	20
7	Turtle River Lake	Beltrami	MN	B	63 ft	20
8	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	B	150 ft	18
9	Plantagenet Lake	Hubbard	MN	B	65 ft	20
10	Marquette Lake	Beltrami	MN	B	51 ft	18
11	Drewery Lake	Beltrami	MN	B	120 ft	21
12	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
13	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	161 ft	17
14	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	184 ft	21
15	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
16	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	161 ft	17
17	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	C	161 ft	17
18	Big Sandy Lake	Aitkin	MN	C	84 ft	22
19	Charley Lake	Ramsey	MN	C	21 ft	20
20	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
21	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
22	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
23	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	161 ft	17
24	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
25	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
26	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	184 ft	21
27	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
28	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
29	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
30	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	184 ft	21
31	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
32	Crane Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	12
33	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	150 ft	18
34	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
35	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	MN	D	43 ft	24
36	Upper Red Lake: West-Central	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
37	Upper Red Lake: East	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
38	Crane Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	12
39	Upper Red Lake: West	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
40	Upper Red Lake: East Central	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
41	Upper Red Lake: Central	Beltrami	MN	D	15 ft	15
42	Little Sauk Lake	Todd	MN	D	29 ft	17
43	Becker Lake	Stearns	MN	D	20 ft	18
44	Horseshoe Lake	Stearns	MN	D	57 ft	25
45	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	F	80 ft	16
46	Long Lake	Stearns	MN	F	35 ft	23
47	Peltier Lake	Anoka	MN	F	18 ft	16
48	Emily Lake	Pope	MN	F	6 ft	26
49	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	F	60 ft	47

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have redhorse?

redhorse are found in 49 graded lakes: 49 in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of lakes with redhorse is C (Fair).

What are the best lakes for redhorse?

The best redhorse lakes by water quality are Cass Lake Allens Bay, Cass Lake, Clearwater Lake, Bemidji Lake, Three Island Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where redhorse have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with redhorse?

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

Other Fish Species in redhorse Lakes

Black Crappie Lakes

Found together in 49 lakes · 41 total

Northern pike Lakes

Found together in 49 lakes · 99 total

Walleye Lakes

Found together in 49 lakes · 840 total

Yellow Perch Lakes

Found together in 49 lakes · 113 total

White sucker Lakes

Found together in 48 lakes · 121 total

Rock bass Lakes

Found together in 45 lakes · 117 total

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.