Updated Jul 2026
Minnesota Fishing Guide
72 documented fish species across 1,643 graded Minnesota lakes. Filter the map by species, then find the cleanest-graded water for what you want to catch.
Minnesota Fish Map
Every Minnesota lake with a documented fishery, colored by water-quality grade. Pick a species to see only the lakes that hold it.
Best-Graded Lakes by Species
Top Minnesota game species, ranked by water-quality grade. Nobody else grades the water under the fish.
Northern Pike
All 1483 →- AEast Fox LakeCrow Wing
- ANorth Long LakeCrow Wing
- ABad Medicine LakeBecker
- ABig Sugar Bush LakeBecker
- ARound LakeCook
- AHorseshoe LakeCass
Largemouth Bass
All 1314 →- AEast Fox LakeCrow Wing
- ANorth Long LakeCrow Wing
- ABad Medicine LakeBecker
- ABig Sugar Bush LakeBecker
- AHorseshoe LakeCass
- ALong LakeCass
Walleye
All 1254 →- AEast Fox LakeCrow Wing
- ANorth Long LakeCrow Wing
- ABad Medicine LakeBecker
- ABig Sugar Bush LakeBecker
- ARound LakeCook
- AHorseshoe LakeCass
Fish Species in Minnesota
Every documented species, grouped by type. Each links to the best-graded Minnesota lakes for that fish.
Game Fish
Panfish
Trout, Salmon & Coldwater
Catfish & Bullhead
Other Species
Minnesota Fishing by County
Lakes with a documented fishery, by county.
Where to stay for a Minnesota fishing trip
Top-rated places to stay near Minnesota lakes
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
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Frequently Asked Questions
What fish are in Minnesota lakes?
Minnesota lakes have 72 documented fish species across 1,643 graded lakes. The most common are Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Walleye.
What are the best fishing lakes in Minnesota?
The best Minnesota fishing lakes pair a documented fishery with a high water-quality grade. Use the species filter on the map, or the best-by-species tables, to find A- and B-graded lakes for your target species.
Where does the Minnesota fish data come from?
Fish species are documented by state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records, joined to each lake's EPA water-quality grade. It reflects documented presence, not a guarantee every species is currently catchable.
Fish species from state agency survey, stocking, and public fishing-access records; water-quality grades from the EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys.