Minnesota · Becker County
Big Sugar Bush Lake Fishing guide
Big Sugar Bush Lake covers 522 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 42 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 15.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers1.9per gill net18"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 18 fish
2022Lengths measured · 36 fish
2012Lengths measured · 31 fish
2007Lengths measured · 12 fish
2002Largemouth bassPresent5.3per gill net12"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 51 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 51 fish
2022Lengths measured · 24 fish
2012Lengths measured · 53 fish
2007Lengths measured · 22 fish
2002No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeGood numbers11.4per gill net17"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 108 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 108 fish
2022Lengths measured · 105 fish
2012Lengths measured · 97 fish
2007Lengths measured · 72 fish
2002BluegillGood numbers57.7per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 652 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 652 fish
2022Lengths measured · 123 fish
2012Lengths measured · 455 fish
2007Lengths measured · 236 fish
2002CrappieJust a few2.4per trap net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 34 fish
2022Lengths measured · 15 fish
2012Lengths measured · 13 fish
2007Lengths measured · 24 fish
2002Yellow perchFair numbers1.2per gill net8"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 11 fish
2022Lengths measured · 37 fish
2012Lengths measured · 49 fish
2007Lengths measured · 8 fish
2002Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Big Sugar Bush Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 15.5 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. On a lake that drops to 42 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 15.5 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. On a lake that drops to 42 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 33" | 24" | 17" |
| 2012 | 32" | 29" | 15" |
| 2007 | 32" | 26" | 16" |
| 2002 | 35" | 25" | 14" |
| 1997 | 35" | 21" | 12" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 792 fingerlings · 5,590 yearlings · 152 adults |
| 2022 | Walleye | 10,134 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 590 fingerlings · 8,380 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 10,860 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,275 fingerlings · 2,064 yearlings · 183 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Big Sugar Bush is a 472-acre, scenic lake in north-central Becker County, within the boundary of the White Earth Indian Reservation. Water clarity is relatively high (average 17 feet), and a diverse fish community provides a variety of angling opportunities. A standard fisheries survey was completed in June 2022 to evaluate the current status of the fish populations in Big Sugar Bush Lake.
Northern Pike abundance was higher than normal for Big Sugar Bush Lake. Pike were mostly small, averaging 17 inches long. Walleye abundance was low and similar to what was observed in the late 90's. Walleye ranged in size from 10 to 25 inches, with an average length of 18 inches. Black Crappie abundance was lower than the last survey conducted in 2017, but still higher than average for Big Sugar Bush Lake. Crappie had an average length of 10 inches and needed four years of growth to reach nine inches long. Bluegill abundance was the third highest ever recorded, the first time it has reached this level since 1992. Bluegill averaged eight inches long. Largemouth Bass that were captured during the survey had an average size of 13 inches, with the largest bass measuring 17 inches. Catch rates of Yellow Perch during fisheries surveys have never been high in Big Sugar Bush Lake and the 2022 survey was no exception. Perch ranged in size from 6 to 10 inches long. Other sampled fish species included Black, Brown and Yellow Bullhead, Pumpkinseed, Green Sunfish, and White Sucker.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Big Sugar Bush Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Big Sugar Bush Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Big Sugar Bush Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Big Sugar Bush Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Sugar Bush Lake · 221 ac · 3 mi
- Net Lake · 231 ac · 4 mi
- Strawberry Lake · 1,498 ac · 4.4 mi
- Buffalo Lake · 418 ac · 5.3 mi
- White Earth Lake · 1,989 ac · 5.9 mi
- Winter Lake · 117 ac · 6.7 mi
- Rice Lake · 231 ac · 6.7 mi
- Rock Lake · 1,196 ac · 8.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Big Sugar Bush Lake?
Big Sugar Bush Lake reaches 42 ft at its deepest point; about 57% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Big Sugar Bush Lake?
Big Sugar Bush Lake covers 522 acres with about 14.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Big Sugar Bush Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Big Sugar Bush Lake average 15.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Big Sugar Bush Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Big Sugar Bush Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Big Sugar Bush Lake have a public access?
Yes. Big Sugar Bush Lake has one public access site: Big Sugar Bush Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Big Sugar Bush Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 33"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Big Sugar Bush Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Big Sugar Bush Lake in 2022, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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