Minnesota · Cass County
Sugar Lake Fishing guide
Sugar Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 699 acres, reaching 44 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 10.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 5 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.5per gill net21"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 35 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 35 fish
2024Lengths measured · 61 fish
2019Lengths measured · 42 fish
2014Lengths measured · 14 fish
2009Largemouth bassPresent3.8per gill net14"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 47 fish
2024Lengths measured · 83 fish
2019Lengths measured · 14 fish
2014Lengths measured · 12 fish
2009Northern pikeOne of the best around20.8per gill net17"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 264 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 264 fish
2024Lengths measured · 179 fish
2019Lengths measured · 197 fish
2014Lengths measured · 218 fish
2009BluegillJust a few13.3per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 534 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 534 fish
2024Lengths measured · 308 fish
2019Lengths measured · 367 fish
2014Lengths measured · 403 fish
2009CrappieJust a few0.1per trap net9"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 12 fish
2024Lengths measured · 90 fish
2019Lengths measured · 66 fish
2014Lengths measured · 59 fish
2009Rock bassFair numbers0.7per gill net8"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 10 fish
2024Lengths measured · 18 fish
2019Lengths measured · 21 fish
2014Lengths measured · 6 fish
2009Only 6 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 Sugar Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 10.2 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 44 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. At 10.2 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 44 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 31" | 27" | 18" |
| 2019 | 27" | 27" | 18" |
| 2014 | 31" | 27" | 17" |
| 2009 | 33" | 28" | 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 · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
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 · 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 | 328,860 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 326,250 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 325,950 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 325,490 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 326,120 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Sugar Lake (DOW# 11-0026; lake class 27) is a 702-acre lake with 345 littoral acres, 6.73 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 44 feet located northeast of Remer, MN. There is a US Forest Service owned public access on the west shore. The DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different classes based on physical, chemical and other characteristics. Sugar Lake is in lake class 27; lakes in this class are generally large, deep, and regularly shaped. Other area lakes in lake class 27 include Ada, Crooked, and Lower Sucker lakes. In 2022 a special regulation was put in place on Sugar Lake of a daily limit of five Sunfish. This regulation is intended to help preserve the size quality of this population. The lake is primarily managed for Largemouth Bass, Walleye and Yellow Perch and secondarily for Black Crappie, Bluegill and Northern Pike.
Largemouth Bass are found in moderate numbers with angling opportunities for both quantity and quality fish. Largemouth Bass averaged 14 inches long and bass up to 19 inches were sampled. Walleye numbers were low and did not meet the management goal of three fish per gill net. Walleye mean length was 20 inches with fish up to 25 inches sampled. Black Crappie were sampled in low numbers not meeting the management goals, lengths ranged from 6 to 10 inches, with an average length of 9 inches. Northern Pike are abundant and ranged in length from 13 to 32 inches, with an average length of 18 inches. Anglers are encouraged to harvest the abundant Northern Pike less than 22 inches in this lake. Bluegill are abundant and provide opportunities for quality size fish. In 2024, 37 percent of the trap net sample measured 8 inches of greater in length. The special regulation of a daily limit of five Sunfish is designed to preserve the quality of this population.
Read the full DNR narrative
Other fish species sampled include Brown Bullhead, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Rock Bass, and Yellow Bullhead.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Currently Curly Leaf Pondweed an invasive species (AIS) has been identified in Sugar Lake. AIS are moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters, and lake shore owners and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local natural resource office. Additional information on all of these topics can be found on the DNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Walker Area Fisheries office.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Sugar Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Sugar 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
- Sugar Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Sugar Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Vermillion Lake · 410 ac · 1.9 mi
- No-ta-she-bun Lake · 239 ac · 3.1 mi
- Lower Milton Lake · 79 ac · 4.8 mi
- Leighton Lake · 245 ac · 4.9 mi
- Grave Lake · 373 ac · 5.6 mi
- South Sugar Lake · 83 ac · 7.4 mi
- Siseebakwet Lake · 1,210 ac · 7.8 mi
- Little Sand Lake · 413 ac · 7.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sugar Lake?
Sugar Lake reaches 44 ft at its deepest point; about 46% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sugar Lake?
Sugar Lake covers 699 acres with about 6.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sugar Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sugar Lake average 10.2 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sugar Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Sugar Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Sugar Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sugar Lake has one public access site: Sugar Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Sugar Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 31"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2009.
When was Sugar Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Sugar Lake in 2024, the most recent of 5 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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