White Bass Lakes in Minnesota
Found in 42 Minnesota lakes · 4 in Michigan
White Bass is a primary Minnesota sport-fishing target. 46 lakes have an official record of the species — the actual population almost certainly extends further, since not every lake gets a full DNR fishery survey every year. White Bass is narrowly distributed — only 42 lakes in Minnesota and 4 in Michigan have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.
Game-fish presence on a Minnesota lake also signals enough water-quality stability to support the prey species the game fish depend on — perch, alewife, ciscoes — which themselves require reasonably oxygenated, clear water. On our A–F scale, the cleanest White Bass lakes tend to also be the highest-graded — the same water-clarity and nutrient conditions that support the species also produce the higher grades.
White Bass Lakes Map
Every Minnesota lake with documented white bass, colored by water-quality grade.
Best White Bass Lakes in Minnesota
| Rank | Lake | County | Grade | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | East Vadnais Lake | Ramsey | A | - | 58 ft |
| 2 | Lake St Croix | Pierce | B | 7.2 ft | 78 ft |
| 3 | Pool | Washington | B | 5.9 ft | 78 ft |
| 4 | Upper Prior Lake | Scott | C | 5 ft | 50 ft |
| 5 | Lower Prior Lake | Scott | C | 10 ft | 60 ft |
| 6 | Pool of Lake St Croix | Washington | C | 4.3 ft | 78 ft |
| 7 | Deep Lake | Ramsey | C | 3.9 ft | 11 ft |
| 8 | Upper Estuary Lake | St. Louis | C | 1.9 ft | 55 ft |
| 9 | Charley Lake | Ramsey | D | 4.6 ft | 21 ft |
| 10 | Round Lake | Jackson | D | 2 ft | 9 ft |
| 11 | Zumbro Lake | Olmsted | D | 4 ft | 43 ft |
| 12 | Emily Lake | Pope | D | 2 ft | 6 ft |
| 13 | Pleasant Lake | Ramsey | D | 5.6 ft | 58 ft |
| 14 | Spring Lake | Scott | D | 6.2 ft | 37 ft |
| 15 | Little Spirit Lake | Jackson | D | 3.3 ft | 8 ft |
| 16 | Madison Lake | Blue Earth | D | 4 ft | 59 ft |
| 17 | Tetonka Lake | Le Sueur | F | 3 ft | 35 ft |
| 18 | Roberds Lake | Rice | F | 2.5 ft | 43 ft |
| 19 | Cedar Lake | Rice | F | 2 ft | 42 ft |
| 20 | Pokegama Lake | Pine | F | 2 ft | 25 ft |
| 21 | Circle Lake | Rice | F | 1.5 ft | 14 ft |
| 22 | Fox Lake | Rice | F | 3 ft | 47 ft |
| 23 | Loon Lake | Jackson | F | 0.9 ft | 8 ft |
| 24 | Mazaska Lake | Rice | F | 2.5 ft | 50 ft |
| 25 | French Lake | Rice | F | 1.7 ft | 56 ft |
| 26 | German Lake | Le Sueur | F | 3.5 ft | 51 ft |
| 27 | Wells Lake | Rice | F | 2 ft | 4 ft |
| 28 | Winona Lake | Winona | F | 2.6 ft | 38 ft |
| 29 | Upper Sakatah Lake | Le Sueur | F | 3 ft | 12 ft |
| 30 | Byllesby Lake | Dakota | F | 3 ft | 50 ft |
| 31 | Gorman Lake | Le Sueur | F | 3.7 ft | 14 ft |
| 32 | Cannon Lake | Rice | F | 4.1 ft | 15 ft |
| 33 | Bright Lake | Martin | F | 1 ft | 7 ft |
| 34 | Fish Lake | Kanabec | NR | 2 ft | 8 ft |
| 35 | Del Clark Lake | Yellow Medicine | NR | 5 ft | 30 ft |
| 36 | Pepin Lake | Pepin | NR | 3 ft | 60 ft |
| 37 | Hendricks Lake | Lincoln | NR | 6.5 ft | 9 ft |
| 38 | Shields Lake | Rice | NR | 2.5 ft | 42 ft |
| 39 | Spring Lake | Dakota | NR | 2.1 ft | 17 ft |
| 40 | Lake Jefferson | Le Sueur | NR | 4 ft | 37 ft |
| 41 | South Silver Lake | Martin | NR | 3 ft | 22 ft |
| 42 | Little Tuttle Lake | Martin | NR | 1 ft | 7 ft |
Frequently Asked Questions
How many Minnesota lakes have white bass?
White Bass are found in 42 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is D (Nutrient-rich).
What are the best white bass lakes in Minnesota?
The best white bass lakes in Minnesota by water quality are East Vadnais Lake, Lake St Croix, Pool, Upper Prior Lake, Lower Prior Lake.
Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.