White bass Lakes in Minnesota

Found in 43 Minnesota lakes · 4 in Michigan

Rough fish like White bass are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 4 Minnesota lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. White bass is narrowly distributed — only 4 lakes in Michigan 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.

Minnesota Lakes

Avg. Grade

Grade A Lakes

Counties

Best White bass Lakes in Minnesota

Rank	Lake	County	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Lower Prior Lake	Scott	B	10 ft	60 ft
2	East Vadnais Lake	Ramsey	B	-	58 ft
3	Lake St. Croix	Washington	B	5.2 ft	78 ft
4	St. Croix Lake	Washington	C	8.7 ft	78 ft
5	Charley Lake	Ramsey	C	4.6 ft	21 ft
6	Pleasant Lake	Ramsey	C	5.6 ft	58 ft
7	Upper Prior Lake	Scott	C	5 ft	50 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	Del Clark Lake	Yellow Medicine	D	5 ft	30 ft
12	Hendricks Lake	Lincoln	D	6.5 ft	9 ft
13	Deep Lake	Ramsey	D	3.9 ft	11 ft
14	Spring Lake	Scott	D	6.2 ft	37 ft
15	Lake Jefferson	Le Sueur	D	4 ft	37 ft
16	German Lake	Le Sueur	D	3.5 ft	51 ft
17	Little Spirit Lake	Jackson	D	3.3 ft	8 ft
18	Winona Lake	Winona	D	2.6 ft	38 ft
19	Madison Lake	Blue Earth	D	4 ft	59 ft
20	Upper Estuary Lake	St. Louis	D	1.9 ft	55 ft
21	Round Lake	Jackson	D	2 ft	9 ft
22	Cedar Lake	Rice	D	2 ft	42 ft
23	Fox Lake	Rice	D	3 ft	47 ft
24	Gorman Lake	Le Sueur	D	3.7 ft	14 ft
25	Cannon Lake	Rice	D	4.1 ft	15 ft
26	Fish Lake	Kanabec	F	2 ft	8 ft
27	Roberds Lake	Rice	F	2.5 ft	43 ft
28	Tetonka Lake	Le Sueur	F	3 ft	35 ft
29	Emily Lake	Pope	F	2 ft	6 ft
30	Pokegama Lake	Pine	F	2 ft	25 ft
31	Circle Lake	Rice	F	1.5 ft	14 ft
32	Loon Lake	Jackson	F	0.9 ft	8 ft
33	Pepin Lake	Pepin	F	3 ft	60 ft
34	Shields Lake	Rice	F	2.5 ft	42 ft
35	Mazaska Lake	Rice	F	2.5 ft	50 ft
36	Spring Lake	Dakota	F	2.1 ft	17 ft
37	French Lake	Rice	F	1.7 ft	56 ft
38	Wells Lake	Rice	F	2 ft	4 ft
39	South Silver Lake	Martin	F	3 ft	22 ft
40	Upper Sakatah Lake	Le Sueur	F	3 ft	12 ft
41	Byllesby Lake	Dakota	F	3 ft	50 ft
42	Little Tuttle Lake	Martin	F	1 ft	7 ft
43	Bright Lake	Martin	F	1 ft	7 ft

Frequently Asked Questions

How many Minnesota lakes have white bass?

White bass are found in 43 lakes in Minnesota. The average water quality grade of these lakes is D (Poor).

What are the best white bass lakes in Minnesota?

The best white bass lakes in Minnesota by water quality are Lower Prior Lake, East Vadnais Lake, Lake St. Croix, St. Croix Lake, Charley Lake.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.