Minnesota · Cass County
Sanborn Lake Fishing guide
Sanborn Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 220 acres, reaching 48 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 15.9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3per gill net19"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 21 fish
2022Lengths measured · 3 fish
2017Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2013Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
2006Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Largemouth bassJust a few12.2per hr (electrofishing)7"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 24 fish
2022Lengths measured · 10 fish
2017Lengths measured · 6 fish
2013Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 35 fish
1999No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers9per gill net19"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 61 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 61 fish
2022Lengths measured · 17 fish
2017Lengths measured · 132 fish
2013Lengths measured · 68 fish
2006BluegillJust a few6.1per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 172 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 172 fish
2022Lengths measured · 313 fish
2017Lengths measured · 207 fish
2013Lengths measured · 356 fish
2006CrappieJust a few0.6per trap net11"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 82 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 82 fish
2022Lengths measured · 12 fish
2013Lengths measured · 10 fish
2006Lengths measured · 8 fish
1999Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchGood numbers8.2per gill net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 51 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 51 fish
2022Lengths measured · 43 fish
2013Lengths measured · 71 fish
2006Lengths measured · 57 fish
1999Rock bassExcellent numbers2.4per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 49 fish
2022Lengths measured · 106 fish
2017Lengths measured · 56 fish
2013Lengths measured · 10 fish
2006Rates 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 Sanborn Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 15.9 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 48 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. At 15.9 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 48 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 | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 28" | 33" | 14" |
| 2017 | 25" | 30" | 12" |
| 2013 | 20" | 36" | 15" |
| 2006 | 23" | 33" | — |
| 1999 | 25" | 32" | 14" |
| 1994 | 22" | 33" | 14" |
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 · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 2,100 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 1,134 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 343 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 2,016 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 3,948 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Sanborn Lake is a 220-acre lake with 2.5 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 48 feet located east of Backus, MN. A DNR owned public access is located on the northeast shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Sanborn Lake is in Lake Class 31; lakes in this class are generally clear, productive, and with moderate depths. Nearby lakes in the same lake class are Bowen, Child, Five Point, Little Webb and Widow. The shoreline of Sanborn is heavily developed with many lake homes. The lake is primarily managed for Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike and Bluegill, and secondarily for Walleye and Yellow Perch. A 10 Sunfish possession limit was implemented in 1996 to improve size structure. This regulation was converted to a 5 Sunfish daily limit (statewide possession limit still applies) in 2022 after initial improvements from the 10 fish limit were not sustained over time.
Sanborn Lake offers good opportunities for anglers seeking a variety of species. Black Crappie abundance was above the management goal and lengths ranged from 6 to 13 inches. Bluegill were caught in numbers below the management goal and lengths ranged from 3 to 9 inches. Largemouth Bass were sampled in good numbers with fish from 6 to 15 inches sampled. Management goals for Largemouth Bass are based spring electrofishing which was not conducted in 2022. Northern Pike abundance met the management goal and lengths ranged from 10 to 34 inches. Northern Pike size goals were partially met in 2022. Walleye were caught in numbers meeting the management goal with lengths ranging from 10 to 24 inches. Yellow Perch were caught in moderate numbers not meeting the management goal with lengths ranging from 6 to 12 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species that anglers can expect to encounter include, Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, White Sucker and Yellow Bullhead.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Currently, no aquatic invasive species (AIS) have been identified in Sanborn Lake. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Sanborn Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Sanborn 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
- Sanborn Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Sanborn Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Johnson Lake · 90 ac · 0.8 mi
- Lind Lake · 440 ac · 1.3 mi
- Horseshoe Lake · 260 ac · 1.6 mi
- Willard Lake · 8 ac · 1.7 mi
- Bowen Lake · 182 ac · 2.3 mi
- Big Portage Lake · 902 ac · 2.5 mi
- Ox Yoke Lake · 185 ac · 2.6 mi
- Hattie Lake · 588 ac · 3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sanborn Lake?
Sanborn Lake reaches 48 ft at its deepest point; about 38% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sanborn Lake?
Sanborn Lake covers 220 acres with about 2.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sanborn Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sanborn Lake average 15.9 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sanborn Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Sanborn Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Sanborn Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sanborn Lake has one public access site: Sanborn Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Sanborn Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 28"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Sanborn Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Sanborn Lake in 2022, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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