Minnesota · St. Louis County
Sabin Lake Fishing guide
Sabin Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 312 acres, reaching 40 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 3.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2016, with walleye, northern pike, bluegill and crappie in the nets. That survey is 10 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeGood numbers4.1per gill net11"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 40 fish
2016Lengths measured · 59 fish
2006Lengths measured · 57 fish
1996Northern pikeJust a few1.6per gill net18"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 18 fish
2016Lengths measured · 41 fish
2006Lengths measured · 49 fish
1996BluegillJust a few3.8per trap net8"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 34 fish
2016Lengths measured · 69 fish
2006Lengths measured · 182 fish
1996CrappieJust a few2.2per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 22 fish
2016Lengths measured · 32 fish
2006Lengths measured · 30 fish
1996Yellow perchGood numbers8.4per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 81 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 81 fish
2016Lengths measured · 104 fish
2006Lengths measured · 341 fish
1996No recent survey rating.
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 Sabin Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 3.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 40 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 3.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 40 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.
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 | 22" | 31" | 10" |
| 2006 | 22" | 27" | 10" |
| 1996 | 23" | 24" | 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 · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
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
Sabin Lake is located approximately 4 miles NE of Biwabik near the recreation area known as Giants Ridge. There is a concrete boat ramp and dock located on the west side of the lake for public access.
Sabin is the most upstream lake on the Embarrass River. Fish may move between Sabin Lake and Wynne Lake (downstream) through a narrows that is navigable by boat except in very low flow periods. Lake bottom substrates along the shoreline of Sabin Lake consist mostly of rubble, gravel, sand, and boulder. Aquatic plants are sparse and grow to a depth of 6 feet. The most common plants are waterlilies and burreeds.
Read the full DNR narrative
Results from the 2016 survey of Sabin Lake were similar to past assessments. Walleye were sampled in numbers slightly above average compared to other similar lakes in the area. Northern pike, bluegill and black crappie numbers indicate populations that are slightly below average by comparison to other similar area lakes.
Walleye numbers in 2016 (4.1/gill net) were slightly below the historic average for Sabin Lake. Walleye in Sabin are very slow growing. An walleye 11 inches was typically about 4 years old. The largest walleye sampled was 22.2 inches long which was the only walleye over 16 inches sampled in 2016.
Northern pike numbers in 2016 (1.6/gill net) were below the historic average for Sabin Lake. The average pike sampled was 20 inches long and the largest pike was just over 31 inches. Only two pike over 24 inches were sampled in the gill nets.
Bluegill abundance in 2016 (3.8/trap net) was nearly identical to the historic average for this lake. The average bluegill sampled was 7.6 inches long and about 5 years old. The largest bluegill sampled was 9.2 inches long. Fifty percent ot the bluegill sampled in 2016 were 8 inches or larger.
Black crappie numbers in 2016 (2.2/trap net) were slightly below the historic average for Sabin Lake. The average crappie sampled was 9.4 inches long and the largest crappie was 11.6 inches. Thirty percent of the crappie sampled in 2016 were 10 inches or larger.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Sabin Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Sabin 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
- Sabin Lake (N) (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Sabin Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Wynne Lake · 279 ac · 1.5 mi
- Sabin Lake · 156 ac · 3.3 mi
- Embarrass Lake · 463 ac · 3.8 mi
- Canton Pit · 161 ac · 4 mi
- St James Pit · 124 ac · 4.3 mi
- Cedar Lake · 32 ac · 6.2 mi
- Cedar Island Lake · 205 ac · 6.4 mi
- Heikkilla Lake · 130 ac · 7.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sabin Lake?
Sabin Lake reaches 40 ft at its deepest point; about 43% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sabin Lake?
Sabin Lake covers 312 acres with about 7.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sabin Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sabin Lake average 3.5 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sabin Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2016) record walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass, channel catfish.
Is Sabin Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Sabin Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Sabin Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sabin Lake has one public access site: Sabin Lake (N) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Sabin Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 22"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Sabin Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Sabin 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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