Best Splake Lakes in Minnesota
Top splake lakes
77 Minnesota lakes have enough DNR survey data to earn a FishGrade score for splake; 3 of them are at least 1,000 acres. The top 3 are ranked below by FishGrade's 0–100 score: abundance against the DNR normal range for similar lakes, plus size structure. Trout leads at 12. Across all 3 qualifying lakes the median score is 2.
See all 77 splake lakes on the map| # | Lake | County | Acres | Score | Catch rate | Keeper-size | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Trout | Itasca | 1,743 | Poor · 12 | 0.6per gill net | - | 1985 |
| 2 | Greenwood | Cook | 2,043 | Poor · 2 | 0.08per gill net | - | 1986 |
| 3 | St. Louis River Estuary | St. Louis | 10,255 | Poor · 1 | 0.05per gill net | - | 2023 |
0.6 per gill net · surveyed 1985
- 2. GreenwoodPoor · 2
Cook County · 2,043 acres
0.08 per gill net · surveyed 1986
- 3. St. Louis River EstuaryPoor · 1
St. Louis County · 10,255 acres
0.05 per gill net · surveyed 2023
Underrated splake 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 | Tofte | Lake | 134 | Excellent · 96 | 17.0per gill net | 65% | 1997 |
| 2 | High | St. Louis | 274 | Excellent · 82 | 7.7per gill net | 43% | 2024 |
| 3 | Pine Mountain | Cook | 106 | Excellent · 80 | 15.5per gill net | 12% | 2021 |
| 4 | Musquash | Cook | 131 | Good · 72 | 27.0per gill net | 4% | 2025 |
| 5 | Leo | Cook | 102 | Good · 71 | 6.0per gill net | - | 1983 |
| 6 | Portage | Cook | 128 | Good · 64 | 6.3per gill net | 13% | 2022 |
| 7 | Winchester | St. Louis | 319 | Good · 57 | 1.8per gill net | 72% | 2024 |
| 8 | Kemo | Cook | 189 | Good · 50 | 2.0per gill net | 75% | 2023 |
| 9 | Gilbert Pit | St. Louis | 243 | Poor · 10 | 0.5per gill net | - | 1990 |
| 10 | Larson | Itasca | 208 | Poor · 7 | 0.33per gill net | - | 2020 |
17.0 per gill net · 65% keeper-size · surveyed 1997
7.7 per gill net · 43% keeper-size · surveyed 2024
- 3. Pine MountainExcellent · 80
Cook County · 106 acres
15.5 per gill net · 12% keeper-size · surveyed 2021
- 4. MusquashGood · 72
Cook County · 131 acres
27.0 per gill net · 4% keeper-size · surveyed 2025
6.0 per gill net · surveyed 1983
- 6. PortageGood · 64
Cook County · 128 acres
6.3 per gill net · 13% keeper-size · surveyed 2022
- 7. WinchesterGood · 57
St. Louis County · 319 acres
1.8 per gill net · 72% keeper-size · surveyed 2024
2.0 per gill net · 75% keeper-size · surveyed 2023
- 9. Gilbert PitPoor · 10
St. Louis County · 243 acres
0.5 per gill net · surveyed 1990
- 10. LarsonPoor · 7
Itasca County · 208 acres
0.33 per gill net · surveyed 2020
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best splake lake in Minnesota?
Trout in Itasca County is the top-rated splake lake in Minnesota on FishGrade, scoring 12 out of 100 based on Minnesota DNR survey data. The latest DNR survey measured 0.6 splake per gill net. Among smaller waters, Tofte in Lake County (134 acres) tops the under-1,000-acre list with a score of 96.
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 splake, 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 1985 to 2023, and 1 of 3 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.