Guide To Popular Choices For Great Fishing In Minnesota

All about fishing in the North Star State

Major Lakes & Species
Lake Sizes & Locations
Minnesota Fish Species & State Records

Minnesota is virtually covered with lakes, ponds, streams and rivers. It is said to have 10,000 lakes and most provide some fishing opportunities. We are concentrating here on the larger lake and impoundments.

The state of Minnesota offers a wide variety of fishing opportunities. Here, you can fish for largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, channel catfish, flathead catfish, blue catfish, black crappie, white crappie, walleye, rainbow trout, brook trout, brown trout, lake trout, bluegill, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, white bass, yellow perch, Atlantic salmon, coho salmon, bowfin, longnose gar, muskie, northern pike, sauger, sturgeon and tiger muskie in local lakes, rivers, ponds and/or streams. Many of these fisheries offer ice fishing in winter.

Major Minnesota Lakes & Species

Lake & Fish Chart

This chart shows the major angling destinations, cross referencing these waters with the major species to be found in each of the lakes or impoundments.

For a detailed list of primary fish species in MN, plus state fish records, see the list below.

Fishing lake sizes and locations in the state.

Big Stone Lake is a 12,600-acre lake on the western border of the state, at Ortonville.

Cass Lake is a 15,600-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, at Cass Lake.

Kabetogama Lake is a 25,700-acre lake on the northern border of the state, at Kabetogama.

Lac Qui Parle Lake is a 5,600-acre lake in the southwest part of the state, at Milan.

Lake Bemidji is a 6,100-acre lake in the north-central part of Minnesota at Bemidji.

Lake Mille Lacs is a 132,000-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, at Garrison.

Lake Minnetonka is a 14,000-acre lake in the east-central part of the state, at Minnetonka.

Lake Minnewaska is a 7,100-acre lake in the central part of the state, at Glenwood.

Lake of the Woods is a 950,000-acre lake on the northern border of the state, at Warroad.

Lake Pepin is a 25,000-acre lake on the eastern border of the state, at Lake City.

Lake Traverse is an 11,200-acre lake on the western border in the northwest corner of the state, at Browns Valley.

Lake Vermilion is a 40,500-acre lake in the northeast part of the state, at Tower.

Lake Winnibigoshish is a 58,500-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, at Bena.

Leech Lake is a 111,000-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, at Walker.

Lower Red Lake is a 180,000-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, at Red Lake.

Otter Tail Lake is a 13,700-acre lake in the west-central part of the state, at Otter Tail.

Pelican Lake is a 4,000-acre lake in the western part of the state, at Clear View. MN.

Rainy Lake is a 220,000-acre lake on the northern border of the state, at International Falls.

Upper Red Lake is a 108,000-acre lake in the north-central part of the state, at Waskish.

Click the images and links above for species details.

State of MN Fishing Information

Click here to obtain a Minnesota fishing license.

Visit AA-Boats-Boating.com to find information about fishing boats in Minnesota and other boating information.

Fish for big bass

Excellent largemouth and smallmouth bass fishing opportunities are available to anglers.

Fishing in all states