Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 20, 2016
Little Sand Lake FishingCWater-quality grade C
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Sand Lake average 4.05 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–32 inches. In Itasca County, Minnesota, Little Sand Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of C. Water clarity averages 8.2 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. 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 Little Sand Lake
13 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 Little Sand Lake
No stocking record for Little Sand Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Little Sand Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Sand Lake average 4.05 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–32 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Sand Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-06-20 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 12.25 | 0.25 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 6.95 | 0.39 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.92 | 0.51 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 5.12 | 0.71 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.05 | 1.28 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.
Yellow Perch
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Brown Bullhead
From the 2016-06-20 survey
Little Sand Lake is located approximately six miles northeast of Squaw Lake, MN, and within the Big Fork River Watershed. The 361 acre lake of which 231 acres is less than 15 feet deep, a 19 foot maximum depth and is moderately developed along the 3.6 mile shoreline. A state owned public access is located just north…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Sand Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Sand (0846)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little SandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Little Sand Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Sand Lake average 4.05 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–32 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 13 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 Little Sand Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Little Sand Lake is dated June 20, 2016. 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 Little Sand Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Little Sand Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Little Sand Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Sand Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. 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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