Minnesota · Wright County
Sugar Lake Fishing guide
Sugar Lake is a 1,014-acre lake in Wright County, Minnesota, reaching 69 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers2.1per gill net20"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 232 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2023Lengths measured · 207 fish
2023Lengths measured · 25 fish
2021Lengths measured · 44 fish
2016Lengths measured · 421 fish
2012Largemouth bassFair numbers33.3per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 191 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 191 fish
2021Lengths measured · 590 fish
2016Lengths measured · 58 fish
2012Lengths measured · 200 fish
2007Northern pikeGood numbers10.3per gill net18"Typical38"Biggest
Lengths measured · 546 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2023Lengths measured · 417 fish
2023Lengths measured · 129 fish
2021Lengths measured · 211 fish
2016Lengths measured · 1650 fish
2016MuskellungeLast stocked 2025Present, stockedPresent and managed by the DNR.
Present and managed by the DNR.
Lengths measured · 55 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 55 fish
2023Lengths measured · 107 fish
2016Lengths measured · 77 fish
2012Lengths measured · 5 fish
2007Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
BluegillJust a few17.1per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 292 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 292 fish
2021Lengths measured · 525 fish
2016Lengths measured · 424 fish
2012Lengths measured · 832 fish
2007CrappieJust a few0.8per trap net9"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 3340 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2023Lengths measured · 3273 fish
2023Lengths measured · 67 fish
2021Lengths measured · 64 fish
2016Lengths measured · 1789 fish
2016Rock bassExcellent numbers2.1per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 53 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 53 fish
2021Lengths measured · 26 fish
2016Lengths measured · 33 fish
2012Lengths measured · 23 fish
2007Rates 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 11.7 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 69 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 11.7 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 69 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 38" | 31" | — |
| 2021 | 34" | 23" | 20" |
| 2016 | 38" | 28" | 16" |
| 2012 | 32" | 30" | 16" |
| 2007 | 35" | 27" | 16" |
| 1998 | 30" | 26" | 9" |
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 · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Muskellunge | 39 yearlings |
| 2025 | Walleye | 4,950 fingerlings · 156 yearlings |
| 2024 | Muskellunge | 182 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 1,538 fingerlings · 475 yearlings · 11 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 2,428 fingerlings · 2,192 yearlings |
| 2022 | Muskellunge | 180 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 5,134 fingerlings · 6 yearlings · 203 adults |
| 2021 | Walleye | 253 fingerlings · 148 yearlings · 385 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 1,425 yearlings |
| 2019 | Muskellunge | 480 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 5,036 fingerlings · 30 adults |
| 2018 | Muskellunge | 180 fingerlings |
Stocking records before 2018 omitted.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Sugar Lake was conducted on July 8-9th, 2025, by Area Fisheries 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 13 sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 7 stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at 2 stations. Four stations were not seined due to deep water and dense lilies. One site was moved, since both stations 9 and 10 did not have lake access since they were separated by a constructed road. Station 10 was moved to the nearest accessible shoreline, but station 10 was skipped due to lack of access. Nearshore sampling captured 19 species of fish including 5 species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Pugnose Shiner, and Rock Bass) and 1 that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a July 2021 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (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, Pugnose Shiner, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish and Black Bullhead). 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.
Read the full DNR narrative
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Sugar Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score above the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings which indicated that Sugar Lake is fully supporting aquatic life. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Mississippi River - St. Cloud watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Sugar Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
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 (N) (trailer launch)
- Sugar Lake (S) (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Sugar Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Indian Lake · 139 ac · 1 mi
- Limestone Lake · 234 ac · 2.2 mi
- Nixon Lake · 60 ac · 2.7 mi
- Sheldon Lake · 50 ac · 2.9 mi
- Ember Lake · 59 ac · 2.9 mi
- Silver Lake · 83 ac · 2.9 mi
- Millstone Lake · 200 ac · 3.1 mi
- Bass Lake · 223 ac · 3.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sugar Lake?
Sugar Lake reaches 69 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 25.1 ft; about 35% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sugar Lake?
Sugar Lake covers 1,014 acres with about 8.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sugar Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sugar Lake average 11.7 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sugar Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Sugar Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked muskellunge and walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2018.
Does Sugar Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sugar Lake has 2 public access sites, including Sugar Lake (N) (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Sugar Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 38"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1998.
When was Sugar Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Sugar Lake in 2025, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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