white crappie Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 89 lakes

Rough fish like white crappie are often associated with eutrophic, nutrient-loaded waters. Their presence — documented in 89 Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes — is often a signal of how the rest of the fishery is functioning. white crappie is narrowly distributed — only 89 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 crappie lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and white crappie documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

31 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of white crappie Lakes

19%

33%

42%

Best white crappie Lakes by Water Quality

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

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Courthouse Lake	Carver	MN	A	57 ft	10
2	Moon Lake	Douglas	MN	A	38 ft	12
3	Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	B	78 ft	36
4	Fish Lake	Hennepin	MN	B	49 ft	16
5	Comfort Lake	Chisago	MN	B	47 ft	15
6	Lower Prior Lake	Scott	MN	B	60 ft	15
7	Rock Lake	Wright	MN	C	37 ft	15
8	Perch Lake	Lincoln	MN	C	16.2 ft	12
9	Carrie Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	C	26 ft	13
10	Forest Lake	Washington	MN	C	37 ft	18
11	Pierz Lake	Morrison	MN	C	34 ft	16
12	St. Croix Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
13	St. Croix 1.5 Mi. Upstream of Point Douglas Dr Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
14	Charley Lake	Ramsey	MN	C	21 ft	20
15	Fish Lake	Scott	MN	C	28 ft	14
16	Oak Lake	Carver	MN	C	11 ft	12
17	Upper Prior Lake	Scott	MN	C	50 ft	16
18	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
19	Pool on Lake St. Croix Downstream of I94 Bridge	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
20	French Lake	Wright	MN	C	50 ft	15
21	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
22	St. Croix 3.5 Mi. Downstream of E Chestnut St Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
23	St. Croix 0.3 Mi. Downstream of I Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
24	Long Lake	Pine	MN	D	24 ft	13
25	Zumbro Lake	Olmsted	MN	D	43 ft	24
26	Whaletail Lake	Hennepin	MN	D	22 ft	13
27	Barrett Lake	Grant	MN	D	28 ft	23
28	Pickerel Lake	Dakota	MN	D	11 ft	15
29	Pomme de Terre Lake	Grant	MN	D	23 ft	22
30	Martin Lake	Anoka	MN	D	20 ft	13
31	Reeds Lake	Waseca	MN	D	58 ft	15
32	Evergreen Pnds Lake	Ramsey	MN	D	18 ft	9
33	St. Olaf Lake	Waseca	MN	D	33 ft	11
34	Hendricks Lake	Lincoln	MN	D	9 ft	18
35	Mazaska Lake	Rice	MN	D	50 ft	17
36	Deep Lake	Ramsey	MN	D	11 ft	19
37	Buffalo Lake	Wright	MN	D	33 ft	20
38	Lake Jefferson	Le Sueur	MN	D	37 ft	18
39	Rice Lake	Hennepin	MN	D	11.5 ft	16
40	Winona Lake	Winona	MN	D	38 ft	24
41	Madison Lake	Blue Earth	MN	D	59 ft	20
42	Round Lake	Jackson	MN	D	9 ft	17
43	Big Swan Lake	Meeker	MN	D	32 ft	23
44	Cedar Lake	Rice	MN	D	42 ft	18
45	Swan Lake	McLeod	MN	D	10 ft	14
46	Crosby Lake	Ramsey	MN	D	19 ft	11
47	Briggs Lake	Sherburne	MN	D	25 ft	21
48	Julia Lake	Sherburne	MN	D	15 ft	18
49	Upper Lake	Ramsey	MN	D	19 ft	11
50	German Lake	Le Sueur	MN	D	51 ft	19

Showing top 50 of 89 lakes with white crappie.

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have white crappie?

white crappie are found in 89 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 89 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with white crappie is D (Poor).

What are the best lakes for white crappie?

The best white crappie lakes by water quality are Courthouse Lake, Moon Lake, Lake St. Croix, Fish Lake, Comfort Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where white crappie have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with white crappie?

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

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.