Minnesota · Becker County
Sauer Lake Fishing guide
Sauer Lake sits in Becker County, Minnesota, and covers 193 acres, reaching 39 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 10.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers7per gill net18"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 48 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 48 fish
2022Lengths measured · 23 fish
2015Lengths measured · 46 fish
2008Lengths measured · 42 fish
2001Northern pikeOne of the best around16.5per gill net20"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 100 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 100 fish
2022Lengths measured · 74 fish
2015Lengths measured · 58 fish
2008Lengths measured · 46 fish
2001BluegillFair numbers37.2per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 356 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 356 fish
2022Lengths measured · 850 fish
2015Lengths measured · 784 fish
2008Lengths measured · 491 fish
2001CrappieJust a few2.1per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 26 fish
2022Lengths measured · 36 fish
2015Lengths measured · 92 fish
2008Lengths measured · 7 fish
2001Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchExcellent numbers16.3per gill net5"Typical6"Biggest
Lengths measured · 98 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 98 fish
2022Lengths measured · 139 fish
2015Lengths measured · 91 fish
2008Lengths measured · 344 fish
2001No 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 Sauer Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10.3 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 10.3 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.
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 | 26" | 35" | 15" |
| 2015 | 27" | 32" | 17" |
| 2008 | 26" | 30" | 18" |
| 2001 | 22" | 35" | 10" |
| 1995 | 25" | 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 | 502 fingerlings · 20 yearlings · 440 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,344 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 1,865 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 3,696 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 981 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 1,272 yearlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 2,264 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,700 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 2,198 fingerlings · 17 yearlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Sauer Lake is a 212-acre, class-31 lake with 39 foot maximum depth located in southern Becker County. Shoreline development is relatively light when compared to other area lakes. A public access with a small wayside rest has been present since 1960. This access, just off state highway 59, is a popular swimming and picnic area as well as a boat launch.
Northern Pike abundance in Sauer Lake has increased steadily since 2001. Sampling in 2022 was no exception with gill nets catching almost 17 pike per net. Pike average length was 20.6 inches and the largest pike measured 35.4 inches. Walleye abundance in 2022 was similar to past surveys. Walleye averaged almost 17 inches long with a majority of the fish being three years old. Bluegill abundance was lower than normal in 2022, but average size was high at almost seven-and-a-half inches long. It takes at least eight years for a Bluegill to get to eight inches long in Sauer Lake. Black Crappie abundance was similar to the lake's average, with fish averaging 9.2 inches long. Largemouth Bass were sampled in low numbers with the largest fish measuring 15.3 inches long. Other fish species captured during the survey included Yellow Perch, Black Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Bowfin, and Pumpkinseed.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Sauer Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Sauer 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
- Sauers Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Sauer Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Mill Lake · 155 ac · 0.9 mi
- Melissa Lake · 1,850 ac · 1.7 mi
- Johnson Lake · 183 ac · 2.4 mi
- Leek Lake · 621 ac · 2.5 mi
- Meadow Lake · 71 ac · 2.6 mi
- Little Pelican Lake · 366 ac · 3.1 mi
- Sallie Lake · 1,280 ac · 3.9 mi
- Eunice Lake · 378 ac · 4.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sauer Lake?
Sauer Lake reaches 39 ft at its deepest point; about 44% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sauer Lake?
Sauer Lake covers 193 acres with about 2.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sauer Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sauer Lake average 10.3 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sauer Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, channel catfish.
Is Sauer Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Sauer Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sauer Lake has one public access site: Sauers Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Sauer Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Sauer Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Sauer Lake in 2022, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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