Minnesota · Itasca County
Little Sand Lake Fishing guide
Little Sand Lake sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 353 acres, reaching 19 ft at its deepest point. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2016, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 10 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers1.7per gill net14"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 10 fish
2016Lengths measured · 35 fish
1999No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers6per gill net17"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 43 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 43 fish
2016Lengths measured · 45 fish
1999BluegillJust a few0.1per trap net8"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 74 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 73 fish
2016Lengths measured · 1 fish
2016Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
1999CrappiePresent0.5per gill net11"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 23 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 20 fish
2016Lengths measured · 3 fish
2016Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
1999Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchGood numbers7.8per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 58 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 58 fish
2016Lengths measured · 155 fish
1999Rates 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 Little Sand Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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. With 65% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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. With 65% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 19-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Walleye | Northern pike | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 18" | 32" | 10" |
| 1999 | 25" | 31" | 10" |
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:
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Slip Bobber + Leech
jumbo or large leech
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2016 survey
Little Sand Lake is located approximately six miles northeast of Squaw Lake, MN, and within the Big Fork River Watershed. The 361 acre lake has 231 acres which are less than 15 feet deep, a 19 foot maximum depth and is moderately developed along the 3.6 mile shoreline. A state owned public access is located just north of the lake on the Bowstring River, which outlets to Rice Lake. There are two inlets to Little Sand: the Bowstring River from Sand Lake and Stone Axe Creek
In 2016, a spring targeted survey was conducted on Little Sand Lake to obtain information on the Bluegill population and to supplement data from the spring targeted panfish survey on adjacent Sand Lake. This was the first targeted panfish survey of Little Sand Lake. Sampling consisted of ten trap nets set from 5/31/16 - 6/3/16. Night electrofishing was conducted on 6/9/16 in order to increase the sample size and compare it to the trap net sample.
Read the full DNR narrative
A total of 31 Bluegill were sampled in trap nets for a catch rate of 1.0/net. Bluegill ranged in length from 7.4 - 9.8 inches with a mean length of 8.6 inches. A total of 42 Bluegill were sampled electrofishing for a catch rate of 37.5/hr. Bluegill ranged in length from 7.0 - 9.5 inches, with an average length of 8.3 inches.
Due to the small sample size, fish sampled by both gear types were combined for growth estimates. Bluegill attained a length of 8.2 inches by age-5, which is well above the average for lakes with similar habitats. The sample consisted of four age classes, however 90% were age-4 or age-5. Based on this assessment, the population could be described as low density and fast growing. Electrofishing produced results similar to trap nets. Either method appears to be preferable to summer trap netting, as only one Bluegill was sampled in trap nets during the standard survey which started June 20.
A total of 20 Black Crappie were sampled in trap nets for a catch rate of 0.7/net. Black Crappie ranged in length from 9.6 - 12.8 inches with an average length of 11.2 inches. Black Crappie attained a length of 10.8 inches by age-5. Three age classes were represented in the sample (3-5), but 70% were age-5.
Zebra mussels are present in Little Sand Lake. Anglers and boaters are reminded to help stop the spread of invasive species by removing all aquatic plants from boats, trailers and equipment. All drain plugs must be removed and live and bait wells must be drained before leaving the access. Anglers and boaters are encouraged to power wash and thoroughly dry all equipment prior to use in another water body.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Little Sand Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Little Sand 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
- Little Sand Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Little Sand Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Rice Lake · 791 ac · 1.5 mi
- Little Whitefish Lake · 160 ac · 2.4 mi
- Sand Lake · 3,579 ac · 2.5 mi
- Cedar Lake · 178 ac · 2.6 mi
- Bird's Eye Lake · 80 ac · 3.6 mi
- Rush Island Lake · 297 ac · 3.6 mi
- Whitefish Lake · 564 ac · 3.9 mi
- Natures Lake · 2,249 ac · 4.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Little Sand Lake?
Little Sand Lake reaches 19 ft at its deepest point; about 65% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Little Sand Lake?
Little Sand Lake covers 353 acres with about 3.7 miles of shoreline.
What fish are in Little Sand Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2016) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Little Sand Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Little Sand Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Little Sand Lake have a public access?
Yes. Little Sand Lake has one public access site: Little Sand Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Little Sand Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 18"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1999.
When was Little Sand Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Little Sand Lake in 2016, the most recent of 8 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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