Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 21, 2025
East Sylvia Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at East Sylvia Lake average 27.90 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 14 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 21, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches. In Wright County, Minnesota, East Sylvia Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 21.0 feet of visibility. The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at East Sylvia Lake
14 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at East Sylvia Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at East Sylvia Lake average 27.90 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 14 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 21, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades East Sylvia Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
14 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-07-21 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 27.90 | 0.57 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 22.23 | — |
| Bluegill | 18.16 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 7.77 | 0.69 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
From the 2025-07-21 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in East Lake Sylvia was conducted on July 21, 2025, by Sauk Rapids 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…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for East Sylvia Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — East Lake SylviaFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — East Lake SylviaFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in East Sylvia Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at East Sylvia Lake average 27.90 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 14 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 21, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 14 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was East Sylvia Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for East Sylvia Lake is dated July 21, 2025. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is East Sylvia Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for East Sylvia Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how East Sylvia Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades East Sylvia Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class — a lake can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
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