Minnesota · Crow Wing County
Red Sand Lake Fishing guide
Red Sand Lake covers 521 acres in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 23 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2017, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 9 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers21.6per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 100 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2017Lengths measured · 82 fish
2017Lengths measured · 18 fish
2011Lengths measured · 27 fish
2010Lengths measured · 5 fish
2009Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers8per gill net18"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 684 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2014 + 2016 + 2017Lengths measured · 36 fish
2017Lengths measured · 14 fish
2016Lengths measured · 10 fish
2014Lengths measured · 51 fish
2011BluegillJust a few3.2per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 85 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2016 + 2017Lengths measured · 33 fish
2017Lengths measured · 1 fish
2016Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 51 fish
2011Lengths measured · 47 fish
2010CrappieJust a few5.6per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 50 fish
Recent · 2011Lengths measured · 50 fish
2011Lengths measured · 24 fish
2010Lengths measured · 9 fish
2009Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2008Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchExcellent numbers24.3per gill net2"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 709 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2014 + 2016 + 2017Lengths measured · 12 fish
2017Lengths measured · 63 fish
2016Lengths measured · 1 fish
2014Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 633 fish
2011Rates 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 Red 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 96% 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. With 96% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 18" | 14" | 30" |
| 2016 | 14" | — | 26" |
| 2014 | — | — | 27" |
| 2011 | — | 17" | 36" |
| 2010 | — | 16" | 34" |
| 2009 | — | 6" | 35" |
| 2008 | — | 9" | 31" |
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Flipping/Punching Creature Bait
4" beaver/creature-style bait
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Weighted-EWG Weedless Swimbait
5" paddletail swimbait
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2023 | Walleye | 1,150,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 400,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 2,000,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 400,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 500,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2017 survey
The southern tip of Red Sand Lake lies within the city limits of Baxter, MN. Red Sand has been known to at least partially winterkill on regular basis, the last time being during the winter of 2013-2014. This is often followed by a year or two of poor fishing, while the fish that remain tend to grow at an increased rate. Within 3 to 4 years (if the lake hasn't winterkilled again), there are usually a fair amount of fish that are of catchable size. That is where Red Sand is currently at now. Unfortunately, another side effect of winterkill is that the hardier species tend to do much better; in this case that is black bullheads and they have taken over in high numbers (110.6/trap net). All sizes were found, ranging from 4.2" to 11.8".
Three species that have rebounded are northern pike, largemouth bass, and bluegill. Northern pike were caught in average numbers for this type of lake (5.0/gill net), with an average length of 21.3". Not many large fish existed, with only 10% measuring 24" or larger and only two fish over 26". Bluegill numbers were also average at 4.3/trap net. Size was decent, with an average length of 7.4". Largemouth bass were sampled by electrofishing on the night of June 5th, 2017, resulting in a catch rate of 40.6/hr. Mean length was 11.3" and 45% were 12" or larger.
Read the full DNR narrative
Although walleye fry are stocked occasionally, no walleye were captured in the 2017 netting. Seven walleyes were observed and netted during bass electrofishing, with lengths ranging from 15.7"-18.7". Though they are present in the lake, no black crappie were sampled, suggesting that the previous winterkill took more of a toll on them than other species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Red Sand Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Red 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
- Red Sand Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Red Sand Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Whipple Lake · 301 ac · 1.3 mi
- White Sand Lake · 415 ac · 1.5 mi
- Perch Lake · 266 ac · 2.5 mi
- Dade Lake · 99 ac · 3.8 mi
- Gilbert Lake · 357 ac · 4.6 mi
- Love Lake · 79 ac · 4.7 mi
- North Long Lake · 6,190 ac · 5.1 mi
- Sylvan Lake · 894 ac · 5.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Red Sand Lake?
Red Sand Lake reaches 23 ft at its deepest point; about 96% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Red Sand Lake?
Red Sand Lake covers 521 acres with about 4.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Red Sand Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Red Sand Lake average 7.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Red Sand Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2017) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Red Sand Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2023; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Red Sand Lake have a public access?
Yes. Red Sand Lake has one public access site: Red Sand Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Red 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 2008.
When was Red Sand Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Red Sand Lake in 2017, the most recent of 10 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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