Best Walleye Lakes: Top 50 in Minnesota, Wisconsin & Michigan

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Clarity	Depth
1	Lobster Lake	Douglas	MN	A	13 ft	65 ft
2	East Fox Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16.4 ft	65 ft
3	Deep Portage Lake	Cass	MN	A	15.4 ft	105 ft
4	Clearwater Lake	Wright	MN	A	9.8 ft	73 ft
5	Clearwater Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	13 ft	54 ft
6	Clearwater Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	10 ft	65 ft
7	Lower Hay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	18.5 ft	100 ft
8	Latoka Lake	Douglas	MN	A	19 ft	108 ft
9	Little Birch Lake	Todd	MN	A	13 ft	89 ft
10	North Long Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	15.1 ft	97 ft
11	Bad Medicine Lake	Becker	MN	A	25 ft	84 ft
12	Mud Lake	Becker	MN	A	12.5 ft	34 ft
13	Big Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	9.7 ft	35 ft
14	Big Lake	Sherburne	MN	A	13.6 ft	48 ft
15	Big Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	8.2 ft	22 ft
16	Big Sugar Bush Lake	Becker	MN	A	16.5 ft	42 ft
17	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	16.4 ft	55 ft
18	Pelican Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	14.3 ft	104 ft
19	Birch Lake	Cass	MN	A	14 ft	45 ft
20	Round Lake	Aitkin	MN	A	14.5 ft	125 ft
21	Round Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	13.5 ft	51 ft
22	Round Lake	Cook	MN	A	16.5 ft	45 ft
23	Round Lake	Becker	MN	A	10 ft	69 ft
24	Ada Lake	Cass	MN	A	14 ft	60 ft
25	Pike Lake	Cook	MN	A	17.4 ft	45 ft
26	Whitefish Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	14.4 ft	138 ft
27	Whitefish Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	12.5 ft	30 ft
28	Horseshoe Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	14.4 ft	56 ft
29	Farm Lake	Lake	MN	A	5.5 ft	56 ft
30	Washburn Lake	Cass	MN	A	14.1 ft	111 ft
31	Long Lake	Kandiyohi	MN	A	10.5 ft	46 ft
32	Long Lake	Clearwater	MN	A	20.5 ft	80 ft
33	Long Lake	Cass	MN	A	21.5 ft	115 ft
34	Long Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	20 ft	87 ft
35	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	12.3 ft	128 ft
36	Long Lake	Becker	MN	A	19.5 ft	61 ft
37	Long Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	11.2 ft	135 ft
38	Long Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	11.6 ft	73 ft
39	Long Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16.9 ft	85 ft
40	Dead Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	16 ft	34 ft
41	Dead Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	10.2 ft	65 ft
42	Unnamed Lake	Nicollet	MN	A	5.6 ft	35 ft
43	Maple Lake	Douglas	MN	A	14.1 ft	78 ft
44	Maple Lake	Itasca	MN	A	15.3 ft	39 ft
45	West Twin Lake	Cook	MN	A	9.8 ft	37 ft
46	Shallow Lake	Itasca	MN	A	16.4 ft	85 ft
47	Shallow Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	8.2 ft	10 ft
48	Trout Lake	Itasca	MN	A	18 ft	157 ft
49	Detroit Lake	Becker	MN	A	14 ft	89 ft
50	South Sturgeon Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	2.5 ft	43 ft

Why Water Quality Matters for Walleye

Walleye prefer lakes with moderate water clarity, clear enough for adequate dissolved oxygen but not so clear that they lose their low-light hunting advantage. Walleye are sensitive to high phosphorus and algae levels, which deplete oxygen in deeper water where walleye seek cool temperatures in summer.

Lakes graded A or B tend to maintain the oxygen levels and water temperatures that walleye need year-round. Lakes graded D or F often experience summer oxygen depletion in deeper water, stressing or killing walleye. For the official marks those waters produced, see state record fish — including the Minnesota walleye record and the Wisconsin list.

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

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