Minnesota · Polk County
Sarah Lake Fishing guide
Sarah Lake covers 366 acres in Polk County, Minnesota, reaching 27 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024One of the best around15.5per gill net15"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 94 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 94 fish
2021Lengths measured · 157 fish
2016Lengths measured · 86 fish
2011Lengths measured · 91 fish
2006Northern pikeOne of the best around16.8per gill net18"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 116 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 116 fish
2021Lengths measured · 158 fish
2016Lengths measured · 252 fish
2011Lengths measured · 155 fish
2006BluegillJust a few2.7per trap net4"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 41 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 41 fish
2021Lengths measured · 142 fish
2016Lengths measured · 58 fish
2011Lengths measured · 203 fish
2006CrappieJust a few1.8per trap net10"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 20 fish
2021Lengths measured · 49 fish
2016Lengths measured · 27 fish
2011Lengths measured · 39 fish
2006Yellow perchGood numbers11per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 84 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 84 fish
2021Lengths measured · 41 fish
2016Lengths measured · 115 fish
2011Lengths measured · 94 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 Sarah 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.
- 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.
- 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 29" | 36" | 5" |
| 2016 | 28" | 32" | 17" |
| 2011 | 29" | 33" | 17" |
| 2006 | 26" | 46" | 17" |
| 2001 | 27" | 44" | — |
| 1996 | 28" | 31" | 11" |
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
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 180,087 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 180,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 184,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 180,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 230,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Lake Sarah is a 366-acre lake located in Polk County four miles south of Erskine. This productive lake possesses a heavily developed shoreline and occasionally experiences large water level fluctuations. Lake Sarah provides angling opportunities for Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill, and Black Crappie. A standard fisheries survey was completed on Lake Sarah in July 2021. A special regulation of 10 sunfish per day was implemented on the lake in March 2022.
Walleye abundance in 2021 was slightly higher than average but declined from the near record high observed in 2016. Walleye measured in 2021 ranged in length from 9.5 to 29.2 inches, averaging 17.2 inches long. The average length of a four year old Walleye from Lake Sarah measured 16.2 inches, revealing above average growth.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike abundance was at a record high number in 2011 but have since declined over the last two surveys in 2016 and 2021. Pike measured during the 2021 survey ranged in length from 14.1 to 36.7 inches, averaging 19.4 inches long. Eleven percent of pike had lengths of 24 inches or greater.
Bluegill abundance was below average in 2021, with trap nets catching three fish per net. Sampled Bluegill ranged in length from 3.4 to 9.2 inches, averaging 4.8 inches long. Bluegill grow quickly in Lake Sarah, measuring roughly seven inches long by age four.
Black Crappie abundance in Lake Sarah was moderate in 2021. Black Crappie ranged in length from 8.5 to 12.5 inches, averaging 10.4 inches long. Largemouth Bass have not been caught in Lake Sarah in significant numbers in historical lake survey assessments. Only one bass was caught in the 2021 survey. Yellow Perch abundance was low in Lake Sarah, with fish measuring five to eight inches long. Additional species sampled in 2021 included Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, and White Sucker.
Anglers can help to maintain Lake Sarah's valuable fishery by voluntarily releasing a portion of medium to large sized fish (specifically Northern Pike and Bluegill) and harvesting smaller fish for eating. Shoreline owners can help to improve water quality and fish habitat in Lake Sarah by leaving shoreline buffer zones, leaving stands of native aquatic vegetation intact, and by using wise land management practices to reduce nonpoint source pollution.
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
- Sarah Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Sarah Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Union Lake · 888 ac · 2.3 mi
- Crystal Lake · 118 ac · 3.5 mi
- Cameron Lake · 225 ac · 3.8 mi
- Badger Lake · 256 ac · 4.9 mi
- Maple Lake · 1,641 ac · 7 mi
- Hill River Lake · 102 ac · 11.4 mi
- Store Lake · 50 ac · 14.4 mi
- Sand Hill Lake · 479 ac · 15.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sarah Lake?
Sarah Lake reaches 27 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 12.7 ft; about 49% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sarah Lake?
Sarah Lake covers 366 acres with about 5.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sarah Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sarah Lake average 7.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sarah Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Sarah Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Sarah Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sarah Lake has one public access site: Sarah Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Sarah Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 29"; 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 2021, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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