Best Ice Fishing Lakes in Minnesota: 9 Waters to Know

Short answer: for walleye, DNR survey text points to Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods, Winnibigoshish, Rainy and Vermilion. For perch, look at Mille Lacs, Winnibigoshish, Leech and Upper Red. For big pike, look at Upper Red, Rainy, Kabetogama and Lake of the Woods. For crappie, look at Rainy, Leech and Lake Minnetonka. Picking among them is our opinion, not a DNR ranking.

We built this list from the Minnesota DNR's own LakeFinder survey pages. We did not rank the lakes by catch. We do not give catch rates for you to chase. This is a starting list, not a final word.

No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

A good lake on paper is only good if the ice is good where you stand. The DNR says ice is seldom the same thickness over a single body of water; it can be two feet thick in one place and one inch thick a few yards away. Measure first, fish second.

The nine lakes at a glance

Acres and access counts come from DNR LakeFinder. The access count is the number of public water accesses listed on the lake page. It is not a count of winter ice roads or landings.

Mille Lacs

Mille Lacs is one of the ten lakes in the DNR Large Lake Program. It has annual winter and summer creel surveys, which count angler use and harvest. DNR text says winter walleye catch rates were the highest ever observed in the winter of 2025 to 2026. It also says most of that catch was fish under 13 inches. The same page says the 2025 winter perch harvest was the highest since 2011. That led to a five-fish perch bag limit. LakeFinder lists 11 public accesses. Rules change, so read the current limits before you go.

Upper Red

Upper Red is about 120,000 acres. Per the DNR, 60% falls under the Red Lake Band and 48,000 acres fall under the State of Minnesota. Know which side you are on. The DNR calls walleye the primary species sought and reports a 2025 walleye gill net catch rate of 50.9 fish per net. It also says perch growth is excellent, with 59% of the 2025 perch catch over 9 inches. Pike density is low and managed for trophy fish. Black crappie are turning up in more angler catches, per the DNR. The lake is shallow, with a maximum depth of 15 feet. LakeFinder lists two state accesses.

Lake of the Woods

The Minnesota part of the lake is just over 300,000 acres. DNR text names walleye, sauger, yellow perch, northern pike and lake sturgeon as the fish anglers pursue. Walleye and sauger get most of the monitoring effort. The lake is managed for a high-quality pike fishery with a significant share of pike over 40 inches. The DNR says perch are often not targeted and are caught while fishing for walleye and sauger. This is a very large lake. Know your landmarks, your route and your weather.

Leech

DNR text calls Leech a multi-species fishery with walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, muskellunge and black crappie among its fish. The 2022 spring crappie electrofishing rate was 11 fish per hour, up from 4 per hour in 2018. The DNR sets a crappie possession limit of 5. Perch gill net sampling ranged from 5 to 13 inches, with 46% at 8 inches or larger. LakeFinder lists the lake at 103,444 acres (the survey text says approximately 112,000) with a maximum depth of 150 feet. LakeFinder lists 10 accesses. For ice-in history, see our guide on when Leech Lake freezes.

Winnibigoshish

The DNR says Winnibigoshish is often thought of as a premier walleye and yellow perch destination. It is a reservoir of about 56,472 acres with a maximum depth near 69 feet. The DNR notes high angling pressure on perch over time and a decline in perch abundance. It also names pike as a popular species and lists black crappie among other fish of interest. Burbot are popular with some anglers during the ice season. LakeFinder lists 8 accesses. The DNR notes about 11 miles of open water between the north and south shores.

Rainy

Rainy is part of the Large Lake Program. The 2025 walleye gill net catch rate was 7.2 fish per net, above the historic average of 6.1. Black crappie catch rates have been above average in eight of the last nine surveys. The DNR says anglers regularly report pike over 40 inches. Fifty-five percent of the 2025 perch in gill nets were 8 inches or longer. LakeFinder lists 9 accesses, including two run by the National Park Service.

Kabetogama

Kabetogama is a smaller lake at 24,034 acres. The DNR says large pike over 40 inches are frequently caught in gill net surveys and reported by anglers. It reports that perch numbers have increased in recent years, and that 27% of the 2025 perch were 10 inches or longer. The 2025 walleye gill net rate was 8.7 fish per net, similar to its long-term average. LakeFinder lists 6 accesses.

Vermilion

The DNR describes Vermilion as a multi-species fishery with walleye as the backbone. Its survey data from 2025 showed one of the highest walleye catch rates in over four decades. DNR text says perch numbers are below average but the size is good. Pike are in low abundance, with higher numbers in West Vermilion. The lake is 39,272 acres with 17 listed accesses. It has two basins, East and West, joined at Oak Narrows. The DNR lists narrow areas and bottlenecks among the factors that affect ice strength.

Lake Minnetonka

Minnetonka is the metro pick at 14,206 acres. The DNR says black crappie and bluegill are abundant. It calls the pike population healthy and naturally reproducing, and says walleye are held up by stocking and run large. DNR text says only 14% of sampled perch topped 8 inches, so perch are not the draw here. LakeFinder lists 10 accesses. The DNR describes the lake as many connected bays with a complex shoreline. Check thickness in each spot you plan to fish.

Ice thickness reminder

The Minnesota DNR guideline for new, clear ice is 4 inches for ice fishing or other activity on foot. Use 5 to 7 inches for a snowmobile or small ATV. Under 4 inches, stay off. White ice is only about half as strong, so double those numbers. The DNR does not measure ice thickness on Minnesota lakes. Your safety is your responsibility.

No ice is ever 100% safe. Check it yourself.

How we picked these lakes

We read the DNR lake survey text and LakeFinder data for each lake. We looked for lakes where the DNR itself names walleye, perch, crappie or pike as a feature. We favored lakes with public accesses on the record. We did not use catch reports from outside the DNR.

Most survey numbers here describe spring, summer or fall sampling. They do not tell you what the ice fishing will be like, and no bite is promised on any day.

What Iceline will carry

Each lake page on Iceline will carry live ice conditions, in general terms. It will not replace your own drill and tape. Use the lake page to decide where to look, then measure on the ice.

FAQ

What is the best ice fishing lake in Minnesota for walleye?

Mille Lacs, Lake of the Woods, Winnibigoshish, Rainy and Vermilion all have DNR text that names walleye as a main fishery. The DNR notes strong winter walleye catch rates on Mille Lacs and strong 2025 catch rates on Vermilion.

Where can I catch crappie through the ice in Minnesota?

The DNR notes above-average black crappie catch rates on Rainy, rising numbers on Leech, more crappie in angler catches on Upper Red, and abundant crappie on Lake Minnetonka. Check current local reports before you go.

Which Minnesota lakes have big pike?

DNR text reports pike over 40 inches on Rainy, Kabetogama and Lake of the Woods, and trophy-managed pike on Upper Red. Check the pike slot limit on each lake before you keep a fish.

How thick should the ice be to fish on foot in Minnesota?

The MN DNR guideline is 4 inches of new, clear ice on foot, and 5 to 7 inches for a snowmobile or small ATV. Double it for white ice. Measure it yourself.

Do the limits and rules change?

Yes. Walleye, perch, crappie and pike limits differ by lake and change over time. Read the current MN DNR regulations and the lake page before you fish.