sauger Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 37 lakes

sauger is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 37 lakes carry documentation. sauger is narrowly distributed — only 37 Minnesota lakes and 0 Wisconsin lakes have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the sauger lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and sauger documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

114 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of sauger Lakes

41%

43%

Best sauger Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with sauger ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	B	150 ft	18
2	Agnes Lake	St. Louis	MN	B	30 ft	10
3	Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	B	78 ft	36
4	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
5	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	161 ft	17
6	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	184 ft	21
7	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	150 ft	18
8	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	161 ft	17
9	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	C	161 ft	17
10	Lac la Croix Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	168 ft	12
11	69-0470-00 Lake	St. Louis	MN	C	76 ft	13
12	St. Croix Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
13	St. Croix 1.5 Mi. Upstream of Point Douglas Dr Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
14	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
15	Pool on Lake St. Croix Downstream of I94 Bridge	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
16	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
17	St. Croix 3.5 Mi. Downstream of E Chestnut St Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
18	St. Croix 0.3 Mi. Downstream of I Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
19	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
20	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
21	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
22	Rainy Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	161 ft	17
23	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
24	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
25	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	184 ft	21
26	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
27	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
28	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
29	Sand Point Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	184 ft	21
30	Rainy Lake	Koochiching	MN	D	161 ft	17
31	Crane Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	12
32	Namakan Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	150 ft	18
33	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	16
34	Crane Lake	St. Louis	MN	D	80 ft	12
35	Kabetogama Lake	St. Louis	MN	F	80 ft	16
36	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	F	60 ft	47
37	Spring Lake	Dakota	MN	F	17 ft	21

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have sauger?

sauger are found in 37 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 37 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with sauger is D (Poor).

What are the best lakes for sauger?

The best sauger lakes by water quality are Namakan Lake, Agnes Lake, Lake St. Croix, Namakan Lake, Rainy Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where sauger have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with sauger?

sauger are most commonly found alongside northern pike, walleye, black crappie, rock bass, smallmouth bass. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.