river redhorse Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 18 lakes

river redhorse is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 18 lakes carry documentation. river redhorse is narrowly distributed — only 18 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 river redhorse lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and river redhorse documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

60 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of river redhorse Lakes

11%

56%

22%

11%

Best river redhorse Lakes by Water Quality

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

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	B	78 ft	36
2	Upper Twin Lake	Hubbard	MN	B	12 ft	18
3	Koronis Lake	Stearns	MN	C	132 ft	22
4	Lower Twin Lake	Wadena	MN	C	26 ft	21
5	St. Croix Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
6	St. Croix 1.5 Mi. Upstream of Point Douglas Dr Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
7	Third Crow Wing Lake	Hubbard	MN	C	35 ft	18
8	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
9	Pool on Lake St. Croix Downstream of I94 Bridge	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
10	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
11	St. Croix 3.5 Mi. Downstream of E Chestnut St Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
12	St. Croix 0.3 Mi. Downstream of I Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
13	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	MN	D	43 ft	24
14	Cedar Island Lake	Stearns	MN	D	75 ft	22
15	Round Lake	Jackson	MN	D	9 ft	17
16	Horseshoe Lake	Stearns	MN	D	57 ft	25
17	Emily Lake	Pope	MN	F	6 ft	26
18	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	F	60 ft	47

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have river redhorse?

river redhorse are found in 18 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 18 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with river redhorse is D (Poor).

What are the best lakes for river redhorse?

The best river redhorse lakes by water quality are Lake St. Croix, Upper Twin Lake, Koronis Lake, Lower Twin Lake, St. Croix Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where river redhorse have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with river redhorse?

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

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.