Best Lakes for Fishing Near Willmar
Minnesota
30 fishing lakes within driving distance of Willmar, Minnesota, ranked by water quality and fishing-specific filters. Filtered for documented fish species (3+) and public access. Ranked by water quality and species diversity.
Within reasonable driving distance of Willmar sit 30 graded lakes — a lake-dense area that gives residents real choice on any given weekend. The average grade across the nearby set is B.
Filtered for fishing, the nearby-lake list narrows further. fishing-specific signals — fish species, public access, depth profile, motor-boat congestion — interact with the LakeGrade rubric in different ways depending on the use case.
| # | Lake | County | Grade | Distance | Clarity | Depth |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | George Lake | Kandiyohi | A | 8.9 mi | 15 ft | 34 ft |
| 2 | Big Fish Lake | Stearns | A | 38.9 mi | 20 ft | 70 ft |
| 3 | Big Watab Lake | Stearns | A | 41.4 mi | 20.5 ft | 123 ft |
| 4 | West Sylvia Lake | Wright | A | 41.5 mi | 22 ft | 97 ft |
| 5 | Crooked Lake | Stearns | A | 48.9 mi | 15.5 ft | 35 ft |
| 6 | Elkhorn Lake | Kandiyohi | A | 7.8 mi | 14 ft | 41 ft |
| 7 | Henderson Lake | Kandiyohi | A | 7.9 mi | 13.5 ft | 57 ft |
| 8 | Green Lake | Kandiyohi | A | 11.7 mi | 14.1 ft | 110 ft |
| 9 | Long Lake | Kandiyohi | A | 16.6 mi | 10.5 ft | 46 ft |
| 10 | Minnie-Belle Lake | Meeker | A | 25.9 mi | 14.4 ft | 49 ft |
| 11 | Signalness Lake | Pope | A | 37.1 mi | 10.7 ft | 14 ft |
| 12 | Moose Lake | Wright | A | 40 mi | 14.4 ft | 43 ft |
| 13 | Big Spunk Lake | Stearns | A | 42.8 mi | 10 ft | 38 ft |
| 14 | Pleasant Lake | Wright | A | 46.2 mi | 11.5 ft | 74 ft |
| 15 | Little Birch Lake | Todd | A | 47.1 mi | 13 ft | 89 ft |
| 16 | Bass Lake | Wright | A | 47.9 mi | 13.5 ft | 34 ft |
| 17 | Maple Lake | Douglas | A | 47.9 mi | 14.1 ft | 78 ft |
| 18 | Florida Lake | Kandiyohi | B | 9.1 mi | 12.3 ft | 40 ft |
| 19 | Crow River Mill Pond | Kandiyohi | B | 13.1 mi | 10.2 ft | 14 ft |
| 20 | Manuella Lake | Meeker | B | 29.4 mi | 10 ft | 51 ft |
| 21 | Linka Lake | Pope | B | 30 mi | 10.2 ft | 50 ft |
| 22 | Erie Lake | Meeker | B | 31.3 mi | - | 34 ft |
| 23 | Black Oak Lake | Stearns | B | 36.7 mi | 10 ft | 19 ft |
| 24 | Long Lake | Stearns | B | 39.1 mi | 14 ft | 46 ft |
| 25 | Minnewaska Lake | Pope | B | 39.6 mi | 11 ft | 32 ft |
| 26 | School Section Lake | Stearns | B | 40 mi | 9.8 ft | 14 ft |
| 27 | Amelia Lake | Pope | B | 40.2 mi | 9.2 ft | 69 ft |
| 28 | Carnelian Lake | Stearns | B | 41.1 mi | 12 ft | 36 ft |
| 29 | Middle Spunk Lake | Stearns | B | 43.8 mi | 12 ft | 81 ft |
| 30 | Ochotto Lake | Stearns | B | 44.8 mi | 13 ft | 40 ft |
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.