Minnesota · Hennepin County
Sarah Lake Fishing guide
Sarah Lake is a 557-acre lake in Hennepin County, Minnesota, reaching 59 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 2.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2022Fair numbers3.1per gill net21"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 25 fish
2022Lengths measured · 18 fish
2017Lengths measured · 12 fish
2013Northern pikeGood numbers10.3per gill net25"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 88 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 88 fish
2022Lengths measured · 84 fish
2017Lengths measured · 118 fish
2013Lengths measured · 56 fish
2007BluegillFair numbers42.9per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 475 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 475 fish
2022Lengths measured · 482 fish
2017Lengths measured · 438 fish
2013Lengths measured · 679 fish
2007CrappieFair numbers18.3per trap net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 502 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 502 fish
2022Lengths measured · 120 fish
2017Lengths measured · 155 fish
2013Lengths measured · 396 fish
2007Yellow perchFair numbers1.5per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 20 fish
2022Lengths measured · 49 fish
2017Lengths measured · 151 fish
2013Lengths measured · 45 fish
2007Rates 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 Sarah Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 2.6 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 59 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.6 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 59 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 36" | 25" | 15" |
| 2017 | 37" | 23" | 19" |
| 2013 | 36" | 22" | 19" |
| 2007 | 38" | — | 19" |
| 1996 | 36" | — | 17" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Skirted Casting Jig + Craw Trailer
3.5–4" craw-style trailer on a skirted casting/flipping jig
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Walleye | 3,000 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 1,400 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,000 yearlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,000 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Lake Sarah is a 561-acre lake with a maximum depth of 59 feet, located southeast of Rockford, in western Hennepin County. Sarah is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass and Northern Pike, and also holds healthy populations of Black Crappie, Bluegill, Yellow Bullhead, and Walleye. Walleye have been stocked privately since 2006. In 2021, a reduced possession limit, of 5 each, for Bluegill and crappies was implemented on Lake Sarah. This is part of the statewide "Quality Sunfish Initiative" (https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/fish/sunfish/index.html).
A Standard Survey (trap nets and gill nets) was done on Lake Sarah during the week of 7/18/22. During the survey, water clarity was 2.5 feet, with low oxygen below 13 feet. Eurasian Watermilfoil remains present in Lake Sarah.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike numbers in Lake Sarah were high, with 10.3 fish caught per gill net. Average size of Northern Pike was 25.0 inches, with the largest measured at 36.6 inches. Fish age-2 through age-9 were present in the sample, showing consistent reproduction in this population.
Electrofishing for Largemouth Bass was not done in 2022. The previous sampling for bass in 2017 yielded 92 fish at a rate of 52.2 fish per hour. That catch rate is similar to the previous sampling's (2013) rate of 54.0 fish per hour. These similar catch rates suggest a bass population that is consistent in its abundance over time. In 2017, Lake Sarah Largemouth Bass size ranged from 5.4 to 19.7 inches, averaging 11.6 inches and 1.15 lbs.
Walleye were captured at an average rate (3.1/net) compared to similar lakes throughout the state. As of the 2017 survey, the Walleye population in Lake Sarah is primarily made up of large individuals, with an average size of 20.9 inches and 3.22 pounds, with the largest measured at 25.6 inches. Walleye grow fast in Lake Sarah, reaching 18.4 inches by age-3.
Black Crappie were sampled with gill nets (44.6/net) and trap nets (18.3/net) - at a higher than average catch rate relative to similar lakes. Gill-netted Black Crappie averaged 7.0 inches, trap-netted Black Crappie averaged 6.8 inches, and the largest fish measured at 10.4 inches. Twenty-eight percent of the Black Crappie sampled by both types of nets were larger than 8.0 inches.
Bluegill were sampled with trap nets at a rate (42.9/net) similar to historical catches, which have ranged from 18-57 fish/net. Bluegill averaged 5.6 inches, with the largest measured at 8.7 inches. Approximately 18% of sampled fish were greater than 7 inches.
Yellow Bullheads are an underutilized resource in Lake Sarah despite high numbers of quality-sized fish. Yellow Bullhead numbers were very high, at 40.3 fish per net. Average size of Yellow Bullheads in the 2022 survey was 11.8 inches, with the largest measured at 15.6 inches. Eight-seven percent of the sampled fish were larger than 10 inches.
Other species observed in lower abundances in this survey include Black Bullhead, Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Golden Shiner, and Green Sunfish.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Sarah Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Sarah 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
- City access: City of Greenfield access on south side of lake-- north on Geneker Way from South Lake Sarah Dr. Appx. 15 parking spots total among 2 lots; true number depends on vehicle arrangements.
DNR bathymetry
Sarah Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Independence Lake · 832 ac · 2.7 mi
- Rebecca Lake · 263 ac · 3.1 mi
- Half Moon Lake · 33 ac · 3.6 mi
- Spurzem Lake · 82 ac · 3.6 mi
- Martha Lake · 103 ac · 6 mi
- Charlotte Lake · 253 ac · 6.9 mi
- Long Lake · 285 ac · 7.9 mi
- Little Long Lake · 70 ac · 8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sarah Lake?
Sarah Lake reaches 59 ft at its deepest point; about 67% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sarah Lake?
Sarah Lake covers 557 acres with about 7.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sarah Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sarah Lake average 2.6 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sarah Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Sarah Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2022; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Sarah Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sarah Lake has one public access site: City access (City of Greenfield access on south side of lake-- north on Geneker Way from South Lake Sarah Dr. Appx. 15 parking spots total among 2 lots; true number depends on vehicle arrangements.).
How big do northern pike get in Sarah Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 36"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Sarah Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Sarah Lake in 2022, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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