Minnesota · Pine County
Sturgeon Lake Fishing guide
Sturgeon Lake covers 1,706 acres in Pine County, Minnesota, reaching 40 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 12.3 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers1.2per gill net19"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 5 fish
2025Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2023Lengths measured · 22 fish
2019Lengths measured · 21 fish
2015Largemouth bassJust a few9.3per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 92 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 11 fish
2025Lengths measured · 81 fish
2023Lengths measured · 178 fish
2019Lengths measured · 144 fish
2015Northern pikeFair numbers9.2per gill net15"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 97 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 8 fish
2025Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 89 fish
2023Lengths measured · 88 fish
2019Lengths measured · 131 fish
2015BluegillJust a few12per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 769 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 61 fish
2025Lengths measured · 413 fish
2024Lengths measured · 295 fish
2023Lengths measured · 140 fish
2019CrappieJust a few3.1per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 154 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 23 fish
2025Lengths measured · 18 fish
2024Lengths measured · 113 fish
2023Lengths measured · 50 fish
2019Yellow perchJust a few1per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 10 fish
2023Lengths measured · 7 fish
2019Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2015Lengths measured · 14 fish
2011Rock bassExcellent numbers1.8per trap net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 20 fish
2025Lengths measured · 45 fish
2023Lengths measured · 24 fish
2019Lengths measured · 8 fish
2015Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 Sturgeon Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 12.3 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. On a lake that drops to 40 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 12.3 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. On a lake that drops to 40 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 22" | 20" | 15" |
| 2023 | 20" | 28" | 16" |
| 2019 | 26" | 23" | 19" |
| 2015 | 23" | 30" | 19" |
| 2011 | 27" | 39" | 19" |
| 2006 | 24" | 43" | 20" |
| 2001 | 26" | 36" | 20" |
| 1996 | 28" | 38" | 19" |
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 · 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
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 3,306 fingerlings · 1,357 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 8,283 fingerlings · 164 yearlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 224 yearlings · 445 adults |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,732 fingerlings · 1,767 yearlings · 7 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 10,260 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Sturgeon Lake was conducted on July 10-16, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) 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 eighteen sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample twelve stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at four stations. Two stations were not seined due to dense vegetation and soft substrate. Nearshore sampling captured twenty-one species of fish, including six species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by LBMA program staff. Twelve trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured nine species of fish, including one species that is intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Rock Bass) and one that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish). Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Yellow Bullhead and Bluegill comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net were combined with gill net data from a July 2023 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based index of biological integrity (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., Green Sunfish and Common Carp). 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.
The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Kettle River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Sturgeon Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Sturgeon Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Sturgeon 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
- Sturgeon Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Sturgeon Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Island Lake · 527 ac · 1.9 mi
- Passenger Lake · 67 ac · 2.4 mi
- Dago Lake · 118 ac · 2.4 mi
- Sand Lake · 527 ac · 2.6 mi
- Echo Lake · 108 ac · 3.5 mi
- Moose Lake · 133 ac · 4.3 mi
- McCormick Lake · 61 ac · 4.6 mi
- Moosehead Lake · 279 ac · 4.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sturgeon Lake?
Sturgeon Lake reaches 40 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 22 ft; about 29% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sturgeon Lake?
Sturgeon Lake covers 1,706 acres with about 9.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sturgeon Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sturgeon Lake average 12.3 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sturgeon Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Sturgeon Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Sturgeon Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sturgeon Lake has one public access site: Sturgeon Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Sturgeon Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 22"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Sturgeon Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Sturgeon Lake in 2025, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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