Best Green Sunfish Lakes in Minnesota
Top green sunfish lakes
1,132 Minnesota lakes have enough DNR survey data to earn a FishGrade score for green sunfish; 137 of them are at least 1,000 acres. The top 15 are ranked below by FishGrade's 0–100 score: abundance against the DNR normal range for similar lakes, plus size structure. Big Pine leads at 95. Across all 137 qualifying lakes the median score is 28.
See all 1,132 green sunfish lakes on the map| # | Lake | County | Acres | Score | Catch rate | Keeper-size | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Big Pine | Otter Tail | 4,728 | Excellent · 95 | 1.8per trap net | - | 1979 |
| 2 | Crystal | Otter Tail | 1,413 | Excellent · 91 | 1.4per trap net | 76% | 2024 |
| 3 | Little Pine | Otter Tail | 2,080 | Excellent · 76 | 0.5per trap net | - | 1979 |
| 4 | Long | Cass | 1,007 | Good · 70 | 0.42per trap net | 47% | 2010 |
| 5 | Marion | Otter Tail | 1,624 | Good · 67 | 0.18per trap net | - | 2025 |
| 6 | Geneva | Freeborn | 1,884 | Good · 64 | 10.3per trap net | - | 1982 |
| 7 | Trout | Itasca | 1,743 | Good · 64 | 5.4per trap net | 7% | 2007 |
| 8 | West Battle | Otter Tail | 5,615 | Good · 63 | 0.27per trap net | 40% | 2024 |
| 9 | Waconia | Carver | 3,080 | Good · 63 | 0.33per trap net | - | 2025 |
| 10 | Platte | Crow Wing | 1,663 | Good · 62 | 0.07per trap net | - | 1997 |
| 11 | Greenwood | Cook | 2,043 | Good · 60 | 0.2per trap net | - | 2009 |
| 12 | Sarah | Murray | 1,209 | Good · 60 | 0.09per trap net | - | 2006 |
| 13 | Benton | Lincoln | 2,699 | Good · 59 | 0.07per trap net | - | 2019 |
| 14 | Big Marine | Washington | 1,799 | Good · 59 | 0.11per trap net | - | 2018 |
| 15 | Rose | Cook | 1,410 | Good · 58 | 0.12per trap net | - | 1978 |
- 1. Big PineExcellent · 95
Otter Tail County · 4,728 acres
1.8 per trap net · surveyed 1979
- 2. CrystalExcellent · 91
Otter Tail County · 1,413 acres
1.4 per trap net · 76% keeper-size · surveyed 2024
- 3. Little PineExcellent · 76
Otter Tail County · 2,080 acres
0.5 per trap net · surveyed 1979
0.42 per trap net · 47% keeper-size · surveyed 2010
- 5. MarionGood · 67
Otter Tail County · 1,624 acres
0.18 per trap net · surveyed 2025
10.3 per trap net · surveyed 1982
5.4 per trap net · 7% keeper-size · surveyed 2007
- 8. West BattleGood · 63
Otter Tail County · 5,615 acres
0.27 per trap net · 40% keeper-size · surveyed 2024
- 9. WaconiaGood · 63
Carver County · 3,080 acres
0.33 per trap net · surveyed 2025
- 10. PlatteGood · 62
Crow Wing County · 1,663 acres
0.07 per trap net · surveyed 1997
- 11. GreenwoodGood · 60
Cook County · 2,043 acres
0.2 per trap net · surveyed 2009
0.09 per trap net · surveyed 2006
- 13. BentonGood · 59
Lincoln County · 2,699 acres
0.07 per trap net · surveyed 2019
- 14. Big MarineGood · 59
Washington County · 1,799 acres
0.11 per trap net · surveyed 2018
0.12 per trap net · surveyed 1978
Underrated green sunfish lakes under 1,000 acres
Smaller waters (100–999 acres) with standout survey numbers and lighter fishing pressure.
| # | Lake | County | Acres | Score | Catch rate | Keeper-size | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Hernando DeSoto | Becker | 171 | Excellent · 100 | 171.8per trap net | - | 1988 |
| 2 | Bass | Becker | 126 | Excellent · 99 | 1.5per trap net | - | 1987 |
| 3 | Head | Otter Tail | 400 | Excellent · 97 | 14.4per trap net | - | 1977 |
| 4 | Crystal | Blue Earth | 379 | Excellent · 93 | 7.0per trap net | - | 1982 |
| 5 | Big | Todd | 297 | Excellent · 90 | 1.0per trap net | 78% | 2024 |
| 6 | Long | Clearwater | 159 | Excellent · 90 | 3.4per trap net | 48% | 2022 |
| 7 | Ellingson | Otter Tail | 151 | Excellent · 90 | 1.5per trap net | - | 1977 |
| 8 | Yaeger | Wright | 111 | Excellent · 87 | 28.0per trap net | - | 1976 |
| 9 | Deer | Otter Tail | 447 | Excellent · 86 | 1.0per trap net | - | 1979 |
| 10 | Geneva | Douglas | 640 | Excellent · 84 | 1.6per trap net | 36% | 2022 |
- 1. Hernando DeSotoExcellent · 100
Becker County · 171 acres
171.8 per trap net · surveyed 1988
1.5 per trap net · surveyed 1987
- 3. HeadExcellent · 97
Otter Tail County · 400 acres
14.4 per trap net · surveyed 1977
- 4. CrystalExcellent · 93
Blue Earth County · 379 acres
7.0 per trap net · surveyed 1982
1.0 per trap net · 78% keeper-size · surveyed 2024
- 6. LongExcellent · 90
Clearwater County · 159 acres
3.4 per trap net · 48% keeper-size · surveyed 2022
- 7. EllingsonExcellent · 90
Otter Tail County · 151 acres
1.5 per trap net · surveyed 1977
28.0 per trap net · surveyed 1976
- 9. DeerExcellent · 86
Otter Tail County · 447 acres
1.0 per trap net · surveyed 1979
- 10. GenevaExcellent · 84
Douglas County · 640 acres
1.6 per trap net · 36% keeper-size · surveyed 2022
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best green sunfish lake in Minnesota?
Big Pine in Otter Tail County is the top-rated green sunfish lake in Minnesota on FishGrade, scoring 95 out of 100 based on Minnesota DNR survey data. The latest DNR survey measured 1.8 green sunfish per trap net. Among smaller waters, Hernando DeSoto in Becker County (171 acres) tops the under-1,000-acre list with a score of 100.
How are these rankings calculated?
Each lake's 0-100 FishGrade score blends two signals from Minnesota DNR surveys: abundance, which compares the lake's catch rate to the DNR normal range for similar lakes using the survey gear that best samples green sunfish, and size, the share of sampled fish reaching keeper size. To keep the list meaningful, the main rankings cover named lakes of at least 1,000 acres, and standout smaller lakes of 100+ acres are listed separately.
How current is this data?
Every ranking uses the most recent Minnesota DNR survey for each lake: survey dates for the ranked lakes run from 1978 to 2025, and 5 of 15 were surveyed within the last 7 years. The DNR resurveys most lakes on a 5-to-10-year cycle, and these rankings update as new surveys are published.
Which counties have the best green sunfish fishing?
Otter Tail County and Cook County lead this list, holding 7 of the top 15 green sunfish lakes in Minnesota between them.