Best Ice Fishing Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

The best lakes for ice fishing in Minnesota and Wisconsin. Public access, ice-out data, and walleye, crappie, perch, and panfish populations. Ranked by species and quality.

Recreation rankings need public-access, beach and launch, depth, and fish-survey data, which currently cover Minnesota and Wisconsin lakes. Water-quality grades themselves span all 12 states LakeQuality covers.

100

Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Swimming Boating Kayaking Ice Fishing

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Fish Species	Ice-Free Days	Access
1	Spider (Ne Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	13	—	Public
2	Geneva Lake	Walworth	WI	A	6	—	Public
3	Little Sand Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	17	224	Public
4	Geneva Lake	Walworth	WI	A	6	—	Public
5	Moon Lake	Douglas	MN	A	12	—	Public
6	Geneva Lake Site B	Walworth	WI	A	6	—	Public
7	Kabekona Bay Lake	Cass	MN	A	18	217	Public
8	Fence Lake Deep	Vilas	WI	A	7	—	—
9	Cass Lake Allens Bay	Beltrami	MN	A	21	224	Public
10	Fence Lake	Vilas	WI	A	7	—	—
11	Cass Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	21	224	Public
12	Round Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	6	—	Public
13	Gull Lake	Cass	MN	A	22	224	Public
14	Grindstone Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	6	—	Public
15	Burntside Lake	St. Louis	MN	A	15	216	Public
16	Shell Lake	Washburn	WI	A	6	—	Public
17	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	MN	A	19	—	Public
18	Lake Metonga	Forest	WI	A	5	—	Public
19	Pokegama Lake	Itasca	MN	A	19	—	Public
20	Big Crawling Stone Deep Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	—
21	North Long Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	18	220	Public
22	Crawling Stone Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	—
23	Miltona Lake	Douglas	MN	A	19	230	Public
24	Lake Owen	Bayfield	WI	A	5	—	Public
25	West Battle Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	17	229	Public
26	Butternut Lake	Forest	WI	A	4	—	Public
27	Ten Mile Lake	Cass	MN	A	17	230	Public
28	White Sand Lake Deep	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
29	Star Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	17	—	Public
30	White Sand Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
31	Ida Lake	Douglas	MN	A	19	231	Public
32	Flambeau Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
33	Ball Club Lake	Itasca	MN	A	11	241	Public
34	Presque Isle Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
35	Pelican Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	20	—	Public
36	Pokegama Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	—
37	Big Cormorant Lake	Becker	MN	A	16	224	Public
38	Lake Lucerne	Forest	WI	A	6	—	Public
39	Alexander Lake	Morrison	MN	A	19	225	Public
40	Upper Eau Claire Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	6	—	Public
41	Edward Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	15	228	Public
42	Big Cedar Lake	Washington	WI	A	4	—	Public
43	Carlos Lake	Douglas	MN	A	21	—	Public
44	Sand Lake	Burnett	WI	A	4	—	Public
45	Bay Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	13	223	Public
46	Middle Eau Claire Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	6	—	Public
47	Wabana Lake	Itasca	MN	A	14	220	Public
48	Whitefish Lake	Douglas	WI	A	5	—	Public
49	White Earth Lake	Becker	MN	A	17	223	Public
50	Whitefish Lake	Douglas	WI	A	5	—	Public
51	Lizzie Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	21	213	Public
52	Bardon Lake	Douglas	WI	A	5	—	Public
53	Trout Lake	Itasca	MN	A	15	223	Public
54	Franklin Lake	Forest	WI	A	5	—	Public
55	Sturgeon Lake	Pine	MN	A	15	—	Public
56	Deer Lake	Polk	WI	A	5	—	Public
57	Sturgeon Lake	Pine	MN	A	15	—	Public
58	Lower Eau Claire Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	6	—	—
59	Big Sand Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	16	233	Public
60	Big Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	—
61	Pine Mountain Lake	Cass	MN	A	16	210	Public
62	White Sand Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
63	Andrusia Lake	Beltrami	MN	A	21	224	Public
64	Pine Lake	Waukesha	WI	A	5	—	Public
65	Strawberry Lake	Becker	MN	A	16	209	Public
66	Black Oak Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
67	Belle Taine Lake	Hubbard	MN	A	14	216	Public
68	Namekagon Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	6	—	Public
69	Big Trout Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	20	—	Public
70	Half Moon Lake	Polk	WI	A	4	—	Public
71	Unnamed Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	17	218	Public
72	Harris Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
73	Thunder Lake	Cass	MN	A	17	231	Public
74	Middle Mckenzie Lake	Burnett	WI	A	5	—	Public
75	Thunder Lake	Cass	MN	A	17	231	Public
76	Stone Lake	Washburn	WI	A	5	—	Public
77	Little Mcdonald Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	14	230	Public
78	Little Muskego Lake	Waukesha	WI	A	4	—	Public
79	Hubert Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16	222	Public
80	Forest Lake	Vilas	WI	A	5	—	Public
81	Siseebakwet Lake	Itasca	MN	A	11	224	Public
82	Forest Lake	Vilas	WI	A	5	—	Public
83	Rose Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	17	226	Public
84	Papoose Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
85	Island Lake	Becker	MN	A	15	223	Public
86	Squash Lake	Oneida	WI	A	6	—	Public
87	Serpent Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	17	233	Public
88	Trego Lake	Washburn	WI	A	7	—	Public
89	Pleasant Lake	Cass	MN	A	15	220	Public
90	Razorback Lake	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
91	Sugar Lake	Wright	MN	A	16	229	Public
92	Long Interlaken Lake Deep	Vilas	WI	A	6	—	Public
93	Long Lake	Cass	MN	A	14	221	Public
94	Clearwater Lake	Oneida	WI	A	6	—	—
95	Long Lake	Cass	MN	A	14	221	Public
96	Blueberry Lake	Sawyer	WI	A	5	—	Public
97	Big Mcdonald Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	15	224	Public
98	Wheeler Lake	Oconto	WI	A	5	—	Public
99	Crooked Lake	Crow Wing	MN	A	16	233	Public
100	Long Lake	Bayfield	WI	A	4	—	Public

Frequently Asked Questions

Which lakes are best for ice fishing in Minnesota and Wisconsin?

The best ice fishing lakes have public access, healthy populations of popular winter species (walleye, crappie, perch, bluegill, northern pike), and reliable ice formation. Lakes with longer ice seasons and multiple fish species offer the most versatile winter fishing.

When does ice fishing season start?

Ice fishing typically begins in late November to early December, depending on the lake and weather conditions. Always check ice thickness before venturing out, a minimum of 4 inches of clear ice is recommended for walking, and 12 inches or more for vehicles.

Top Picks: Ice Fishing Lakes

Spider (Ne Lake

Hubbard County, MN · Grade A

Geneva Lake

Walworth County, WI · Grade A

Little Sand Lake

Hubbard County, MN · Grade A

Geneva Lake

Walworth County, WI · Grade A

Moon Lake

Douglas County, MN · Grade A

Geneva Lake Site B

Walworth County, WI · Grade A

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.