Redhorse Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 33 Minnesota lakes

Rough fish like Redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 33 Minnesota lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Redhorse is narrowly distributed — only 33 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 letter grades: lakes with both an A or B grade and Redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Redhorse Lakes Map

Every Minnesota lake with documented redhorse, colored by water-quality grade.

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Best Redhorse Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	A	10 ft	65 ft
2	Bemidji Lake	Beltrami	A	12.5 ft	76 ft
3	Plantagenet Lake	Hubbard	A	7 ft	65 ft
4	Three Island Lake	Beltrami	A	11.8 ft	25 ft
5	Movil Lake	Beltrami	A	14 ft	50 ft
6	Cass Lake Allens Bay	Beltrami	A	16.6 ft	120 ft
7	Cass Lake	Beltrami	A	18.5 ft	120 ft
8	Upper Red Lake: West-Central	Beltrami	C	2 ft	15 ft
9	Big Sandy Lake	Aitkin	C	4.5 ft	84 ft
10	Turtle River Lake	Beltrami	C	8.5 ft	63 ft
11	Upper Red Lake: East Central	Beltrami	C	2 ft	15 ft
12	Marquette Lake	Beltrami	C	9.2 ft	51 ft
13	Drewery Lake	Beltrami	C	3.5 ft	120 ft
14	Charley Lake	Ramsey	D	4.6 ft	21 ft
15	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	D	4 ft	43 ft
16	Emily Lake	Pope	D	2 ft	6 ft
17	Upper Red Lake: East	Beltrami	D	2 ft	15 ft
18	Upper Red Lake: West	Beltrami	D	2 ft	15 ft
19	Upper Red Lake: Central	Beltrami	D	2 ft	15 ft
20	Little Sauk Lake	Todd	D	5.1 ft	29 ft
21	Horseshoe Lake	Stearns	F	4 ft	57 ft
22	Long Lake	Stearns	F	2.5 ft	35 ft
23	Peltier Lake	Anoka	F	2.5 ft	18 ft
24	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	NR	4.4 ft	80 ft
25	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	NR	7.5 ft	161 ft
26	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	NR	8.4 ft	161 ft
27	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	NR	11.5 ft	150 ft
28	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	NR	4.9 ft	80 ft
29	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	NR	4.8 ft	80 ft
30	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	NR	6.6 ft	184 ft
31	Crane Lake	St. Louis	NR	6.3 ft	80 ft
32	Pepin Lake	Pepin	NR	3 ft	60 ft
33	Becker Lake	Stearns	NR	5.7 ft	20 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have redhorse?

Redhorse are found in 33 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is C (Fair).

What are the best redhorse lakes in Minnesota?

The best redhorse lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Clearwater Lake, Bemidji Lake, Plantagenet Lake, Three Island Lake, Movil Lake.

Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.