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Best yellow perch lakes in Minnesota

3177 Minnesota waters hold yellow perch, 1757 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. The premier eating panfish. Roams soft-bottom flats and weed edges in schools — a daytime biter.

1. Lake of the Woods — 36 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 9 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
2. Rainy Lake — 161 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 5 public access sites
3. Leech Lake — 135 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 12 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
4. Big Stone Lake — 15 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
5. Mille Lacs Lake — 40 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 13 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
6. Lake Vermilion — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 15 public access sites
7. Lac la Croix — 168 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Northern PikeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
8. Lake Winnibigoshish — 70 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
9. Namakan Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
10. Lake Kabetogama — 75 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
11. Traverse — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #11: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
12. Namakan Lake — 150 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Sauger, Northern PikeWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
13. Upper Red Lake — 15 ft max · Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie, Yellow PerchWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 2 public access sites
14. Cass Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #14: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 3 carry-in or shore-oriented
15. Lake Minnetonka — 100 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #15: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 10 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
16. Birch — 30 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #16: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 5 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
17. Pokegama Lake — 110 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #17: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 8 public access sites
18. Lac qui Parle Lake — 10 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #18: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
19. Burntside — 160 ft max · survey depth data · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #19: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 7 public access sites, 2 carry-in or shore-oriented
20. Gull Lake — 80 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #20: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites
21. Otter Tail Lake — 120 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #21: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
22. Sand Point Lake — 180 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, SaugerWhy #22: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · no verified access record attached
23. Dead — 60 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #23: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 4 public access sites
24. Pelican — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #24: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 6 public access sites
25. Basswood — 111 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #25: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached

…plus 3152 more Minnesota waters holding yellow perch.

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When to fish yellow perch in Minnesota

• Spring 3–12 ft — Spawning runs to shallow weeds and gravel — find the school, stay on it.
• Summer 10–30 ft — Schools slide deeper to soft-bottom flats and deep weedlines.
• Fall 12–35 ft — Jumbo perch pod up on deep basin flats feeding on invertebrates.
• Winter 15–35 ft — A premier ice-fishing target — deep mud flats, small jigs.

Also in Minnesota: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass 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 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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