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Best brook trout lakes in Minnesota

163 Minnesota waters list brook trout (official records or labelled estimates), 46 mapped with survey or official-chart depth data. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality, leading with the waters in our reviewed search catalog — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. The native char of cold ponds and streams. Needs the coldest, cleanest water in the lake.

1. St. Louis River Estuary — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
2. Kabekona — 130 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
3. Greenwood — 100 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Yellow Perch, Lake TroutWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
4. Birch — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Lake TroutWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. Pike — 40 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
6. Alton — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
7. Leavitt — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
8. Grindstone — 150 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
9. Hanging Horn — 80 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. LaSalle — 210 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
11. Huntington Mine — 220 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
12. Sagamore Mine — 200 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
13. Larson — 170 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
14. Pancake — 30 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Crappie, BluegillWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
15. Sabin (Embarrass Mine) — 450 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
16. Ash — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. East — 15 ft max · real survey depth contours · Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
18. Red Rock — 64 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Yellow PerchWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
19. Ahsub — 70 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Rainbow TroutWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
20. Dry — 40 ft max · real survey depth contours · Bluegill, Rainbow Trout, Brown Trout, Brook TroutWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
21. Divide — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Muskellunge, Yellow PerchWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Allen — 40 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
23. Dyers — 20 ft max · real survey depth contours · Northern Pike, Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow PerchWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
24. Echo — 60 ft max · real survey depth contours · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Rainbow Trout, Yellow PerchWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
25. Little Andrus — 25 ft max · real survey depth contours · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached

…plus 138 more Minnesota waters holding brook trout.

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When to fish brook trout in Minnesota

• Spring 2–15 ft — Ice-out scatters brookies along shorelines and inflow mouths, feeding on the first insect activity.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Brookies hold where the coldest water is — spring holes, deep basin edges and inflow plumes.
• Fall 2–15 ft — Fall is the show: brilliant spawning colors on gravel shoals and inflow gravel.
• Winter 3–20 ft — A classic ice-fishing target — active all winter in shallow to mid-depth water.

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