Minnesota · Becker County
Sand Lake Fishing guide
Sand Lake sits in Becker County, Minnesota, and covers 311 acres, reaching 28 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 13.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.8per gill net21"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 41 fish
2021Lengths measured · 62 fish
2015Lengths measured · 17 fish
2008Lengths measured · 12 fish
2003Northern pikeOne of the best around26per gill net20"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 161 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 161 fish
2021Lengths measured · 39 fish
2015Lengths measured · 7 fish
2008Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
2003BluegillJust a few8.3per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 84 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 84 fish
2021Lengths measured · 274 fish
2015Lengths measured · 9 fish
2008Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 71 fish
2003CrappieJust a few1.1per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 13 fish
2021Lengths measured · 37 fish
2015Lengths measured · 7 fish
2008Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 14 fish
2003Yellow perchGood numbers4.8per gill net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 55 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 55 fish
2021Lengths measured · 398 fish
2015Lengths measured · 30 fish
2008Lengths measured · 99 fish
2003Rates 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 Sand Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 13.5 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.
- 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 13.5 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.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 29" | 27" | 17" |
| 2015 | 32" | 27" | 18" |
| 2008 | 33" | 28" | 17" |
| 2003 | 31" | 25" | 16" |
| 1998 | 21" | 20" | 15" |
| 1993 | 35" | 24" | 6" |
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 · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
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
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 | 245,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 249,195 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 245,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 245,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 245,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 245,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 104,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 104,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 104,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Sand Lake was conducted over several days, beginning on June 21st, 2021 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 10 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample two stations, a 15-foot seine was used at five stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at three stations. Nearshore sampling captured 7 species of fish including one species that is intolerant of disturbance (i.e. Iowa Darter) and none that are tolerant of disturbance.
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a June 21st, 2021 standard survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g. Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g. Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Fathead Minnow). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Buffalo River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Sand Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on 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
- Sand Lake (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Sand Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Bijou Lake · 225 ac · 3.1 mi
- Lee Lake · 158 ac · 3.6 mi
- Stakke Lake · 497 ac · 3.9 mi
- East LaBelle Lake · 229 ac · 5.2 mi
- Turtle Lake · 196 ac · 5.7 mi
- Upper Cormorant Lake · 974 ac · 5.8 mi
- Boyer Lake · 438 ac · 6 mi
- Marshall Lake · 191 ac · 6.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sand Lake?
Sand Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point; about 33% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sand Lake?
Sand Lake covers 311 acres with about 4.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sand Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sand Lake average 13.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sand Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Sand Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Sand Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sand Lake has one public access site: Sand Lake (carry-in).
How big do northern pike get in Sand Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Sand Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Sand Lake in 2021, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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