Sullivan Lake Fishing guide

Spring trap netting was conducted from June 9th to June 12th, to provide data on the Bluegill size structure and evaluate effects of 10 bag limit on sunfish which was implemented on March 1st, 2016. Spring sampling has been consistent providing a desirable range of sizes with past sampling ranged from 169 to 555 Bluegill. In the 2025 sample, 374 Bluegill were captured and measured. Mean length was 6.42 inches and size ranged from 2.87 to 9.92 inches, and out of the 373 (one wasn't measured) 40% of the sample exceeded 7 inches and 10 % exceeded 8 inches with a presence of Bluegill over 9 inches. Prior to the regulation set in 2016, the average percent of Bluegill over 7 inches was 37.8% 7.8% were over 8 inches and 0.6% were over 9 inches. There was an immediate response to the regulation change in 2019 but has slowly decreased since. Summer trap nets used for IBI assessments also captured 191 Bluegill ranged in size from 3.35 to 8.43 inches with a mean length of 5.88 inches. There was 40% of the sample that was between 6 and 7 inches, indicating in future years there should be a higher percentage of Bluegill over 7 inches.

The summer of 2025 there was a total of 12 gill nets set between July 7th and July 11th. Walleye catch rate was 2.25 Walleye/gill net meeting the long-range management goal of 4 Walleye/gill net. It did meet the goal of having 8-year classes ranging from Age-1 to Age-11. Sizes ranged from 11.22 to 25.51 inches with the mean length of 16.10 inches. Most of the catches were from Age-1 to Age-4, which should provide good fishing opportunities for the near future.

Black Crappie are managed as a primary species and has a goal of sampling 100 with 40% of the catch over 9 inches and Crappies present over 12 inches. In the 2025 spring trap net survey there were 32 Black Crappie captured ranged in size from 5.12 to 12.60 inches with a mean length of 9.09 inches. The summer IBI assessment trap nets captured 51 Black Crappies ranged in size from 2.2 to 10.04 inches and mean length of 6.36 inches. Spring trap nets caught larger range of Crappie as expected for the spring including 12 inches and over but did not capture the goal number that was set.

Northern Pike is managed as a secondary species, and its management goal is to obtain a gill net catch rate less than 5 per gill net with 25% being over 24 inches. In 2025, gill net survey the CPE was 5.5 Northern Pike/gill net set. Although the catch rate put it above the management goal, there was 44% that were over 24 inches. Size ranged from 10.16 to 37.17 inches and a mean length of 23.37 inches.

Starting in 2017, every odd year has been stocked with fry, 1,000 fry/Littoral Acre or 800,000 fry which included 2025. Fall nighttime electrofishing has been utilized to assess natural and stocked reproduction success. On October 7th, 2025, in one hour of electrofishing, 19 fingerling Walleye were sampled while also sampling one adult Walleye. Fingerling Walleye ranged in size from 4.84 to 7.44 inches and the adult measured at 16.2 inches. In the previous three years catch rates for fingerling Walleye were 23 fish/hour (2022), 4 fish/hour (2023), and 0/hour (2024). The two highest fall electrofishing fingerling Walleye catch rates recorded have been from the non-stocked years 2020 (23 fingerling Walleye) and 2022 (23 fingerling Walleye). Which can indicate good natural reproduction in the lake. Catch rates from fry stocked years since 1999 have ranged from 0 fish/hour (2001, 2003) to 19 fish/hour (2025). The fall fingerling Walleye electrofishing survey catch rates have been a good predictor of year class strength for future gill net surveys too.

Other species that were captured in the spring trap nets, summer gill nets and trap nets were Rock Bass, Black and Yellow Bullheads, Yellow Perch, Common Carp, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed and Bowfin.