Redhorse Lakes in Minnesota, 24 Lakes

Rough fish like Redhorse are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 24 Minnesota lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. Redhorse is narrowly distributed — only 24 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 phosphorus and chlorophyll-a readings on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the Redhorse lake list below against each lake's clarity, phosphorus and algae readings: lakes with low nutrient readings and Redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Minnesota Lakes

Counties

Redhorse Lakes Map

Every Minnesota lake with documented redhorse.

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Best Redhorse Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Clarity	Depth
1	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	10 ft	65 ft
2	Bemidji Lake	Beltrami	12.5 ft	76 ft
3	Plantagenet Lake	Hubbard	7 ft	65 ft
4	Three Island Lake	Beltrami	11.8 ft	25 ft
5	Movil Lake	Beltrami	14 ft	50 ft
6	Cass Lake	Beltrami	18.5 ft	120 ft
7	Big Sandy Lake	Aitkin	4.5 ft	84 ft
8	Turtle River Lake	Beltrami	8.5 ft	63 ft
9	Marquette Lake	Beltrami	9.2 ft	51 ft
10	Drewery Lake	Beltrami	3.5 ft	120 ft
11	Charley Lake	Ramsey	4.6 ft	21 ft
12	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	4 ft	43 ft
13	Emily Lake	Pope	2 ft	6 ft
14	Upper Red Lake	Beltrami	2 ft	15 ft
15	Little Sauk Lake	Todd	5.1 ft	29 ft
16	Horseshoe Lake	Stearns	4 ft	57 ft
17	Long Lake	Stearns	2.5 ft	35 ft
18	Peltier Lake	Anoka	2.5 ft	18 ft
19	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	4.4 ft	80 ft
20	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	7.5 ft	161 ft
21	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	6.6 ft	184 ft
22	Crane Lake	St. Louis	6.3 ft	80 ft
23	Pepin Lake	Pepin	3 ft	60 ft
24	Becker Lake	Stearns	5.7 ft	20 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have redhorse?

Redhorse are found in 24 lakes in Minnesota.

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 readings from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.