Best Bass Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Top 50 bass lakes ranked by water quality grade. Includes both largemouth and smallmouth bass. Smallmouth bass prefer clear, rocky lakes while largemouth thrive in warmer waters with vegetation.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Clarity	Depth	Bass Type
1	Geneva Lake	Walworth	WI	A	19 ft	135 ft	Both
2	Lac Courte Oreilles Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	38.7 ft	90 ft	Both
3	Sunset Lake	Portage	WI	A	41 ft	55 ft	Largemouth
4	Sunset Lake	Vilas	WI	A	56.5 ft	30 ft	Both
5	Grindstone Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	57.7 ft	60 ft	Both
6	Middle Sugarbush Lake	Vilas	WI	A	50 ft	57 ft	Both
7	Irving Lake	Vilas	WI	A	36.1 ft	—	Largemouth
8	Windigo Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	36.1 ft	51 ft	Both
9	Towanda Lake	Vilas	WI	A	34.5 ft	27 ft	Largemouth
10	Parker Lake	Adams	WI	A	55.8 ft	36 ft	Largemouth
11	West Bay Lake	Vilas	WI	A	27.9 ft	57 ft	Both
12	West Bay Lake	Vilas	WI	A	19.7 ft	23 ft	Largemouth
13	West Bay Lake	Vilas	WI	A	42.7 ft	31 ft	Both
14	Long Lake	Waushara	WI	A	45.9 ft	71 ft	Largemouth
15	Long Lake	Waupaca	WI	A	44.3 ft	76 ft	Both
16	Long Lake	Burnett	WI	A	68.9 ft	41 ft	Largemouth
17	Long Lake	Lincoln	WI	A	47.7 ft	64 ft	Largemouth
18	Long Lake	Chippewa	WI	A	32.8 ft	101 ft	Both
19	Long Lake	Fond du Lac	WI	A	32.8 ft	47 ft	Largemouth
20	Long Lake	Oneida	WI	A	41 ft	58 ft	Largemouth
21	Long Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	52.5 ft	28 ft	Largemouth
22	Long Lake	Waushara	WI	A	19.7 ft	14 ft	Largemouth
23	Long Lake	Iron	WI	A	18 ft	34 ft	Both
24	Long Lake	Oneida	WI	A	36.9 ft	31 ft	Largemouth
25	Chain Lake	Chippewa	WI	A	16.4 ft	74 ft	Both
26	Chain Lake	Oconto	WI	A	44.3 ft	42 ft	Largemouth
27	Upper Eau Claire Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	61.5 ft	92 ft	Both
28	Spring Lake	Waushara	WI	A	32.6 ft	37 ft	Largemouth
29	Spring Lake	Vilas	WI	A	27.9 ft	16 ft	Largemouth
30	Spring Lake	Manitowoc	WI	A	26.2 ft	23 ft	Largemouth
31	Spring Lake	Waukesha	WI	A	—	22 ft	Both
32	Spring Lake	Washburn	WI	A	—	24 ft	Largemouth
33	Black Hawk Lake	Iowa	WI	A	17.2 ft	42 ft	Both
34	Spider Lake	Vilas	WI	A	36.9 ft	43 ft	Both
35	Spider Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	32.8 ft	64 ft	Both
36	Spider Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	18 ft	15 ft	Largemouth
37	Silver Lake	Waupaca	WI	A	23 ft	17 ft	Largemouth
38	Silver Lake	Waukesha	WI	A	36.9 ft	40 ft	Largemouth
39	Silver Lake	Waushara	WI	A	33.6 ft	56 ft	Largemouth
40	Silver Lake	Kenosha	WI	A	25.5 ft	44 ft	Both
41	Silver Lake	Barron	WI	A	42.7 ft	91 ft	Both
42	Silver Lake	Washburn	WI	A	39.4 ft	28 ft	Largemouth
43	Silver Lake	Waushara	WI	A	49.2 ft	50 ft	Largemouth
44	Silver Lake	Vilas	WI	A	39.9 ft	—	Largemouth
45	Silver Lake	Forest	WI	A	42.7 ft	—	Both
46	Wood Lake	Marquette	WI	A	45.9 ft	53 ft	Largemouth
47	Pleasant Lake	Waushara	WI	A	39.4 ft	24 ft	Largemouth
48	Pleasant Lake	Walworth	WI	A	44.3 ft	29 ft	Largemouth
49	Lac la Belle Lake	Waukesha	WI	A	16.4 ft	45 ft	Both
50	Dead Pike Lake	Vilas	WI	A	24.6 ft	80 ft	Both

Largemouth vs. Smallmouth Bass Habitat

Smallmouth bass are a coldwater-edge species that prefer clear, deep lakes with rocky structure. They thrive in A and B graded lakes with high water clarity and moderate temperatures. Look for lakes with Secchi depth over 8 feet for the best smallmouth fishing.

Largemouth bass tolerate a wider range of water quality and prefer warmer, shallower lakes with aquatic vegetation. They can be found in lakes graded C and above. Weed beds, lily pads, and fallen timber are key habitat features.

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