Minnesota · Carver County
Zumbra-Sunny Lake Fishing guide
Zumbra-Sunny Lake is a 271-acre lake in Carver County, Minnesota, reaching 58 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11.9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2025, with largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill and crappie in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassPresent3.6per seine haul10"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2025Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2021Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2020Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 95 fish
2015Northern pikeGood numbers12.3per gill net21"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 82 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 75 fish
2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2021Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 84 fish
2020Lengths measured · 104 fish
2015BluegillGood numbers58.3per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1092 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 684 fish
2025Lengths measured · 408 fish
2021Lengths measured · 1286 fish
2020Lengths measured · 679 fish
2015CrappieJust a few1.6per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 40 fish
2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2021Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 17 fish
2020Lengths measured · 9 fish
2015Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchJust a few0.8per gill net5"Typical6"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2025Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2021Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2020Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2015Only 3 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 Zumbra-Sunny Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11.9 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 58 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 11.9 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 58 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 | Largemouth bass | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 28" | 13" | 8" |
| 2021 | 23" | 15" | 7" |
| 2020 | 29" | 15" | 7" |
| 2015 | 32" | 20" | 8" |
| 2010 | 27" | 15" | 7" |
| 2004 | 34" | 19" | 7" |
| 1998 | 28" | 21" | 9" |
| 1993 | 34" | 19" | 8" |
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
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
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Zumbra Lake is located in Carver County, near the town of Victoria. It is 233 acres, with a maximum depth of 58 feet. Much of the shoreline of the lake is undeveloped and is managed by Three Rivers Park District, within Carver Park Reserve. MN DNR primarily manages Zumbra for its Northern Pike fishery, and secondarily for its Largemouth Bass and Bluegill fisheries. In 2025, a Standard Fisheries Survey was conducted to assess the gamefish populations.
Zumbra is a good fishing spot for Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. The lake is not stocked, so no Walleye or Muskies are present. Northern Pike are highly abundant in Zumbra. Anglers will have a good opportunity to fill their limit of Northern Pike; 58% of the gill netted fish were smaller than 22 inches, while 4% exceeded 26 inches. Largemouth Bass electrofishing was not conducted in 2025, however the lake has a reputation for its strong bass fishery. When the lake was last electrofished, in 2015, the largest bass sampled was 20.1 inches and 4.8 pounds. While the Bluegill tend to be on the small side, they are very abundant so would offer good fishing action. Black Crappie were sampled in low abundance in 2025, however fish between 9 and 12 inches were present.
Read the full DNR narrative
Overall, Zumbra offers high numbers of Northern Pike and Bluegill, and good-sized Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie. Plenty of natural shoreline exists, and due to its smaller size, Zumbra is rarely teeming with recreational boaters.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Zumbra-Sunny Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Zumbra-Sunny 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
- Zumbra Lake, Carver Co Park Reserve (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Zumbra-Sunny Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Stone Lake · 101 ac · 0.7 mi
- Steiger Lake · 166 ac · 1.2 mi
- Auburn Lake · 291 ac · 1.5 mi
- Virginia Lake · 105 ac · 1.7 mi
- Kelser's Pond · 20 ac · 2 mi
- Wassermann Lake · 170 ac · 2.9 mi
- Minnewashta Lake · 680 ac · 3.1 mi
- Parley Lake · 258 ac · 3.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Zumbra-Sunny Lake?
Zumbra-Sunny Lake reaches 58 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 14 ft; about 33% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Zumbra-Sunny Lake?
Zumbra-Sunny Lake covers 271 acres with about 5.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Zumbra-Sunny Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Zumbra-Sunny Lake average 11.9 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Zumbra-Sunny Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Zumbra-Sunny Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Zumbra-Sunny Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Zumbra-Sunny Lake have a public access?
Yes. Zumbra-Sunny Lake has one public access site: Zumbra Lake, Carver Co Park Reserve (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Zumbra-Sunny Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 28"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Zumbra-Sunny Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Zumbra-Sunny Lake in 2025, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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