white bass Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 42 lakes

white bass is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 42 lakes carry documentation. white bass is narrowly distributed — only 42 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 white bass lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and white bass documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

40 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of white bass Lakes

26%

31%

36%

Best white bass Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with white bass ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	East Vadnais Lake	Ramsey	MN	B	58 ft	15
2	Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	B	78 ft	36
3	Lower Prior Lake	Scott	MN	B	60 ft	15
4	Spring Lake	Scott	MN	C	37 ft	15
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	Charley Lake	Ramsey	MN	C	21 ft	20
8	Pleasant Lake	Ramsey	MN	C	58 ft	10
9	Upper Prior Lake	Scott	MN	C	50 ft	16
10	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
11	Pool on Lake St. Croix Downstream of I94 Bridge	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
12	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
13	St. Croix 3.5 Mi. Downstream of E Chestnut St Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
14	St. Croix 0.3 Mi. Downstream of I Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
15	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	MN	D	43 ft	24
16	Del Clark Lake	Yellow Medicine	MN	D	30 ft	14
17	Hendricks Lake	Lincoln	MN	D	9 ft	18
18	Mazaska Lake	Rice	MN	D	50 ft	17
19	Deep Lake	Ramsey	MN	D	11 ft	19
20	Lake Jefferson	Le Sueur	MN	D	37 ft	18
21	Little Spirit Lake	Jackson	MN	D	8 ft	23
22	Winona Lake	Winona	MN	D	38 ft	24
23	Madison Lake	Blue Earth	MN	D	59 ft	20
24	Round Lake	Jackson	MN	D	9 ft	17
25	Cedar Lake	Rice	MN	D	42 ft	18
26	Fox Lake	Rice	MN	D	47 ft	17
27	German Lake	Le Sueur	MN	D	51 ft	19
28	Tetonka Lake	Le Sueur	MN	F	35 ft	19
29	Fish Lake	Kanabec	MN	F	8 ft	21
30	Roberds Lake	Rice	MN	F	43 ft	18
31	Emily Lake	Pope	MN	F	6 ft	26
32	Pokegama Lake	Pine	MN	F	25 ft	23
33	Circle Lake	Rice	MN	F	14 ft	18
34	Loon Lake	Jackson	MN	F	8 ft	18
35	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	F	60 ft	47
36	Shields Lake	Rice	MN	F	42 ft	17
37	Spring Lake	Dakota	MN	F	17 ft	21
38	Wells Lake	Rice	MN	F	4 ft	15
39	South Silver Lake	Martin	MN	F	22 ft	16
40	Upper Sakatah Lake	Le Sueur	MN	F	12 ft	14
41	Little Tuttle Lake	Martin	MN	F	7 ft	20
42	Byllesby Lake	Dakota	MN	F	50 ft	19

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have white bass?

white bass are found in 42 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 42 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with white bass is D (Poor).

What are the best lakes for white bass?

The best white bass lakes by water quality are East Vadnais Lake, Lake St. Croix, Lower Prior Lake, Spring Lake, St. Croix Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where white bass have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with white bass?

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

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.