river redhorse Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 16 Minnesota 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. 16 lakes carry documentation. river redhorse is narrowly distributed — only 16 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 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.

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best river redhorse Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Second Crow Wing Lake	Hubbard	A	11.3 ft	35 ft
2	Lake St. Croix	Washington	B	5.2 ft	78 ft
3	Upper Twin Lake	Hubbard	B	6.9 ft	12 ft
4	Koronis Lake	Stearns	C	6 ft	132 ft
5	Lower Twin Lake	Wadena	C	6.9 ft	26 ft
6	St. Croix Lake	Washington	C	8.7 ft	78 ft
7	Third Crow Wing Lake	Hubbard	C	2.5 ft	35 ft
8	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	C	4.3 ft	78 ft
9	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	C	5.9 ft	78 ft
10	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	D	4 ft	43 ft
11	Cedar Island Lake	Stearns	D	3.5 ft	75 ft
12	Round Lake	Jackson	D	2 ft	9 ft
13	Horseshoe Lake	Stearns	D	4 ft	57 ft
14	Emily Lake	Pope	F	2 ft	6 ft
15	Pepin Lake	Pepin	F	3 ft	60 ft
16	Talcot Lake	Cottonwood	F	0.2 ft	6 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have river redhorse?

river redhorse are found in 16 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is D (Poor).

What are the best river redhorse lakes in Minnesota?

The best river redhorse lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Second Crow Wing Lake, Lake St. Croix, Upper Twin Lake, Koronis Lake, Lower Twin Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.