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Best white bass lakes in Minnesota

73 Minnesota waters hold white bass, 52 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. Hard-fighting schooling bass. Legendary spring river runs, then open-water surface blitzes chasing shad all summer.

1. Big Stone Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #1: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
2. Lake Pepin — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #2: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
3. Traverse — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
4. Lac qui Parle Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
5. St. Croix River — 78 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #5: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
6. Elysian — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
7. Artichoke — 11 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
8. Zumbro — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
9. Minnesota River — 11 ft max · Walleye, White Bass, Channel Catfish, Flathead CatfishWhy #9: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 10 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
10. St. Louis River Estuary — 55 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #10: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites
11. Emily — 3 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
12. White Bear Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
13. Hendricks — 8 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #13: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
14. Lake Tetonka — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
15. Lake Byllesby — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Cross — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
17. Lower Prior Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
18. Madison Lake — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. Cannon — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
20. Marsh — 5 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #20: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
21. Upper Sakatah Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
22. Circle — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
23. Mud — 7 ft max · Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #23: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 1 public access site
24. Middle Jefferson — 5 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
25. Rice — 5 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #25: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site

…plus 48 more Minnesota waters holding white bass.

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When to fish white bass in Minnesota

• Spring 2–12 ft — The famous spawning run — fish stack in tributary rivers and below dams by the thousands.
• Summer 8–25 ft — Follow the shad — surface blitzes early and late, suspended schools over structure midday.
• Fall 6–25 ft — The best surface action of the year — gulls diving means white bass feeding.
• Winter 15–40 ft — Huge tight schools in deep basins and channel bends — vertical spoons.

Also in Minnesota: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike 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 longnose gar 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

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