Best Musky Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Muskellunge, the fish of 10,000 casts, are the apex predators of northern lakes. These are the top musky lakes in MN and WI ranked by water quality grade. Healthy musky populations require clean, well-oxygenated water with abundant forage fish.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Clarity	Depth	Area
1	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	MN	A	57.4 ft	112 ft	6721.3 ac
2	Big Sand Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	23 ft	135 ft	1638.65 ac
3	North Star Lake	Itasca	MN	A	19 ft	90 ft	831.62 ac
4	Miltona Lake	Douglas	MN	A	18.8 ft	105 ft	5730.99 ac
5	West Battle Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	18.2 ft	108 ft	5614.95 ac
6	Pickerel Lake	Becker	MN	A	18 ft	74 ft	360.63 ac
7	Kabekona Bay Lake	Cass	MN	A	17.2 ft	150 ft	103443.8 ac
8	Girl Lake	Cass	MN	A	17 ft	81 ft	428.18 ac
9	Sugar Lake	Wright	MN	A	17 ft	69 ft	1014.21 ac
10	Ida Lake	Douglas	MN	A	16.5 ft	106 ft	4445.29 ac
11	Alexander Lake	Morrison	MN	A	16.5 ft	64 ft	2708.77 ac
12	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.4 ft	66 ft	1913.41 ac
13	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.1 ft	55 ft	3961.78 ac
14	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16 ft	112 ft	6721.3 ac
15	Mina Lake	Douglas	MN	A	16 ft	123 ft	411.41 ac
16	Dumbbell Lake	Lake	MN	A	15.8 ft	40 ft	406.11 ac
17	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	15.5 ft	60 ft	1595.51 ac
18	Mons Lake	Todd	MN	A	15.4 ft	80 ft	94.52 ac
19	White Bear Lake	Washington	MN	A	15 ft	83 ft	2427.7 ac
20	Ml-Vineland Lake	Mille Lacs	MN	A	25.6 ft	42 ft	128250.02 ac
21	Ml Lake	Mille Lacs	MN	A	22.2 ft	42 ft	128250.02 ac
22	Ml Lake	Mille Lacs	MN	A	20.2 ft	42 ft	128250.02 ac
23	Ml-Peterson Lake	Mille Lacs	MN	A	20.2 ft	42 ft	128250.02 ac
24	Ml-Seventeen Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	18.8 ft	42 ft	128250.02 ac
25	Ml-Malone Lake	Mille Lacs	MN	A	17.5 ft	42 ft	128250.02 ac
26	Buskey Bay Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	70.9 ft	51 ft	88 ac
27	Hart Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	70.5 ft	54 ft	257 ac
28	Hasbrook Lake	Oneida	WI	A	68.9 ft	50 ft	307 ac
29	Round Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	68.2 ft	74 ft	3294 ac
30	Boot Lake	Oconto	WI	A	67.3 ft	38 ft	230 ac
31	Beasley Lake	Waupaca	WI	A	65.6 ft	47 ft	12 ac
32	White Sand Lake	Vilas	WI	A	65.6 ft	71 ft	746 ac
33	Bony Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	64.8 ft	55 ft	190 ac
34	Twin Bear Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	64 ft	59 ft	157 ac
35	Alva Lake	Oneida	WI	A	62.8 ft	43 ft	199 ac
36	Middle Mckenzie Lake	Burnett	WI	A	62.3 ft	45 ft	527 ac
37	Flambeau Lake	Vilas	WI	A	62.3 ft	78 ft	1166 ac
38	Mildred Lake	Oneida	WI	A	62.3 ft	45 ft	168 ac
39	Upper Eau Claire Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	61.5 ft	92 ft	1024 ac
40	Middle Eau Claire Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	60.7 ft	66 ft	880 ac
41	Presque Isle Lake	Vilas	WI	A	60.7 ft	103 ft	1165 ac
42	Katinka Lake	Vilas	WI	A	60.2 ft	60 ft	170 ac
43	Plummer Lake	Vilas	WI	A	59.9 ft	85 ft	219 ac
44	Upper Kaubashine Lake	Oneida	WI	A	59.1 ft	56 ft	181 ac
45	Plummer Lake	Vilas	WI	A	59.1 ft	85 ft	219 ac
46	Eagle Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	59.1 ft	52 ft	163 ac
47	Long Interlaken Lake	Vilas	WI	A	59.1 ft	65 ft	380 ac
48	White Sand Lake Deep	Vilas	WI	A	59.1 ft	63 ft	1181 ac
49	Grindstone Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	57.7 ft	60 ft	3176 ac
50	Little Round Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	57.7 ft	38 ft	179 ac

Musky Habitat & Water Quality

Muskellunge are the largest member of the pike family and require large, healthy lake ecosystems. They prefer clear to moderately clear lakes (Secchi depth 4-15 feet) with extensive weed beds, rocky structure, and abundant forage fish like perch, suckers, and cisco.

Water quality directly affects musky populations. High phosphorus and algae levels (grades D-F) reduce oxygen in deeper water where muskies retreat during summer heat. Lakes with declining water quality often see musky populations shrink even when stocking continues.

Minnesota and Wisconsin are the top two musky destinations in the country. Wisconsin is considered the musky capital of the world, with extensive stocking programs and strict size limits that have produced world-class trophy fisheries.

Cleanest Lakes →Worst Water Quality →Clearest Water →Improving →Declining →