redhorse Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 48 lakes

Rough fish like redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 48 Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. redhorse is narrowly distributed — only 48 Minnesota lakes and 0 Wisconsin lakes 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

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

89 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of redhorse Lakes

10%

29%

44%

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	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	65 ft	14
2	Bemidji Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	76 ft	16
3	Three Island Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	25 ft	17
4	Movil Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	50 ft	20
5	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	B	150 ft	18
6	Plantagenet Lake	Hubbard	MN	B	65 ft	20
7	Turtle River Lake	Beltrami	MN	B	63 ft	20
8	Marquette Lake	Beltrami	MN	B	51 ft	18
9	Drewery Lake	Beltrami	MN	B	120 ft	21
10	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
11	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	161 ft	17
12	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	184 ft	21
13	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
14	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	161 ft	17
15	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	C	161 ft	17
16	Big Sandy Lake	Aitkin	MN	C	84 ft	22
17	69-0470-00 Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	76 ft	13
18	Charley Lake	Ramsey	MN	C	21 ft	20
19	Upper Red Lake: West-Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
20	Upper Red Lake: East	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
21	Upper Red Lake: West	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
22	Upper Red Lake: East Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
23	Upper Red Lake: Central	Beltrami	MN	C	15 ft	15
24	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
25	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
26	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
27	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	161 ft	17
28	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
29	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
30	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	184 ft	21
31	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
32	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
33	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
34	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	184 ft	21
35	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
36	Crane Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	12
37	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	150 ft	18
38	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
39	Long Lake	Stearns	MN	D	35 ft	23
40	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	MN	D	43 ft	24
41	Crane Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	12
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	Peltier Lake	Anoka	MN	F	18 ft	16
47	Emily Lake	Pope	MN	F	6 ft	26
48	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	F	60 ft	47

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have redhorse?

redhorse are found in 48 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 48 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. 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 Clearwater Lake, Bemidji Lake, Three Island Lake, Movil Lake, Namakan 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.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.