Guide To Popular Choices For Great Fishing In Minnesota
All about fishing in the North Star State
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.
Fish Species & State Records in Minnesota
Bass
Largemouth bass
World record: 22 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 8 lbs 15 oz
Smallmouth bass
World record: 11 lbs 15 oz
State Record: 8 lbs 0 oz
Catfish
Channel catfish
World record: 58 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 38 lbs 0 oz
Flathead catfish
World record: 123 lbs 9 oz
State Record: 70 lbs 0 oz
Blue catfish
World record: 143 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 52 lbs 8 oz
Crappie
Black crappie
World record: 6 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 5 lbs 0 oz
White crappie
World record: 5 lbs 3 oz
State Record: 3 lbs 15 oz
Walleye
Walleye
World record: 25 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 17 lbs 8 oz
Sauger
World record: 17 lbs 7 oz
State Record: 6 lbs 2 oz
Saugeye
World record: 15 lbs 6 oz
State Record: 9 lbs 13 oz
Panfish
Bluegill
World record: 4 lbs 12 oz
State Record: 2 lbs 13 oz
Green sunfish
World record: 2.2 lbs
State Record: 1 lbs 4 oz
Hybrid sunfish
World record: N/A
State Record: 1 lbs 12 oz
Pumpkinseed sunfish
World record: 2 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 1 lbs 5 oz
Rock bass
World record: 3.0 lbs
State Record: 2 lbs 0 oz
Warmouth
World record: 2.4 lbs
State Record: 0 lbs 9 oz
White Bass
World record: 6.8 lbs
State Record: 4 lbs 8 oz
Yellow perch
World record: 4 lbs 3 oz
State Record: 3 lbs 4 oz
Trout
Rainbow trout
World record: 42 lbs 2 oz
State Record: 16 lbs 6 oz
Brook trout
World record: 14 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 6 lbs 5 oz
Brown trout
World record: 40 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 16 lbs 12 oz
Lake trout
World record: 72 lbs 0 oz
State Record: 43 lbs 8 oz
Salmon
Atlantic salmon
World record: 79 lbs 2 oz
State Record: 12 lbs 13 oz
Chinook salmon
World record: 97 lbs 4 oz
State Record: 33 lbs 4 oz
Coho salmon
World record: 33 lbs 7 oz
State Record: 10 lbs 6 oz
Kokanee salmon
World record: 9 lbs 10 oz
State Record: 2 lbs 15 oz
Pink salmon
World record: 14 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 4 lbs 8 oz
Other species
Bowfin
World record: 21 lbs 8 oz
State Record: 12 lbs 9 oz
Longnose gar
World record: 50 lbs 5 oz
State Record: 16 lbs 12 oz
Muskie (Muskellunge)
World record: 69 lbs 9 oz
State Record: 54 lbs 0 oz
Northern pike
World record: 55 lbs 1 oz
State Record: 45 lbs 12 oz
Sturgeon
Estimated world record: 1,100 lbs
State Record: 94 lbs 4 oz
Tiger muskie
World record: 51 lbs 2 oz
State Record: 34 lbs 12 oz
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
MINNESOTA

