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Best northern pike lakes in Minnesota

1924 Minnesota waters hold northern pike, 1911 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Aggressive ambush predator that patrols weed edges and cool water.

1. Rainy Lake — 161 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
2. Lake of the Woods — 36 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
3. Leech Lake — 135 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
4. Mille Lacs Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
5. Lake Vermilion — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
6. Big Stone Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
7. Lake Pepin — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
8. Lake Winnibigoshish — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
9. Lake Kabetogama — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger
10. Traverse — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass
11. Namakan Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Northern Pike
12. Upper Red Lake — 15 ft max · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow Perch
13. Cass Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
14. Birch — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
15. Lake Minnetonka — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
16. Lac qui Parle Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Channel Catfish
17. Pokegama Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
18. Burntside — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
19. Gull Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
20. Otter Tail Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
21. Dead — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
22. Pelican — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
23. Sand Point Lake — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger
24. Swan — 3 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill
25. Bowstring — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie

…plus 1899 more Minnesota waters holding northern pike.

When to fish northern pike in Minnesota

• Spring 2–8 ft — Shallow, dark-bottomed bays that warm first; pike spawn in flooded vegetation.
• Summer 8–20 ft — Deep weedlines and cool water; the biggest fish slide deeper than most anglers fish.
• Fall 6–18 ft — Trophy time: big baits near the last green weeds and steep breaks.
• Winter 5–15 ft — Weedy flats near drop-offs; pike remain active all winter.

Also in Minnesota: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best sauger lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best rock bass lakes · best cisco (lake herring) lakes · best splake lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best lake sturgeon lakes

Northern Pike elsewhere: Ontario · Québec · Michigan · New Hampshire · Montana · Massachusetts · North Dakota · Iowa · Indiana · Alaska · South Dakota · New York · Wisconsin · Illinois · Maine · Manitoba · Alberta · Vermont · New Jersey