Minnesota · Sibley County
Silver Lake Fishing guide
Silver Lake covers 652 acres in Sibley County, Minnesota, reaching 8 ft at its deepest point. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2019, with walleye, bluegill, crappie and yellow perch in the nets. That survey is 7 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
No recent survey rating.
No recent survey rating.
No 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 Silver 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. With 98% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 8-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Crappie
- Spring
- Crappie are up in the back bays and against wood in a few feet of water, spawning shallower than most people fish for them.
- Early summer
- Crappie are pulling off the bays to the first deep weed edge and brush, still reachable shallow at dusk.
- Summer
- Crappie are over the basin of a stratified lake, well off any structure, which is why summer netting barely catches them inshore. With 98% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Crappie are schooled along the deep weedline and the basin edge, pushing shallow to feed at dusk while the water still turns over slowly. A 8-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Crappie | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2019 | — | 9" | — |
| 1994 | 19" | 11" | 7" |
| 1993 | 17" | 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 · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Crappie · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
Crappie · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2021 | Walleye | 642,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 642,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 750,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2019 survey
A 2018-2019 winter oxygen test indicated potential for winterkill at Silver Lake - Arlington, and dead fish (100's to 1,000's of Common Carp, 6 Black Crappie, and 6 Walleye) were verified. The lake was too turbid to observe dead fish on the bottom. Trap nets were set on April 8, 2019, to document fish species presence and fish abundances at Silver Lake, following the winterkill. Trap net catches were as follows:
Trap nets caught high numbers (1,815) of Black Bullhead (3.4 to 13.3 inches long), low numbers (8) of Black Crappie (3.4 to 9.4 inches long - only 2 over 5" in length), and high numbers (782) of Common Carp (4.8 to 18.5 inches long). Walleye were not sampled.
Read the full DNR narrative
Net catches indicated a lake dominated by Black Bullhead and Common Carp. The 2019 winterkill was likely not severe. Silver Lake is primarily managed for Walleye, as a boom and bust type fishery. Netting likely indicated that there was currently little fishing opportunity available at Silver Lake, except for a small number of 9 inch Black Crappie and a few larger Bullhead, although one day netting assessment results can miss fish species and underestimate fish abundances. Future Walleye stocking will resume on an every other year basis or following winterkill.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Silver Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Silver 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
- Silver Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Silver Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Beatty Lake · 78 ac · 9.3 mi
- High Island Lake · 1,340 ac · 11.9 mi
- Schilling Lake · 763 ac · 13 mi
- Eagle Lake · 183 ac · 13.2 mi
- Hydes Lake · 222 ac · 14.4 mi
- Miller Lake · 143 ac · 16.2 mi
- Mill Pond · 18 ac · 17.1 mi
- Burandt Lake · 97 ac · 17.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Silver Lake?
Silver Lake reaches 8 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 5 ft; about 98% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Silver Lake?
Silver Lake covers 652 acres with about 6.4 miles of shoreline.
What fish are in Silver Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2019) record walleye, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Silver Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2021; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Silver Lake have a public access?
Yes. Silver Lake has one public access site: Silver Lake (trailer launch).
When was Silver Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Silver Lake in 2019, the most recent of 8 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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