Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 12, 2023
Species recorded at Little Sturgeon Lake
12 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 Sturgeon 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.
Getting on the water
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Little Sturgeon Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Sturgeon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
7 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-12 (Targeted Survey).
7 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-12 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 5.41 | 5–9 in 2023-06-12 | 0.09 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.29 | 4 in 2023-06-12 | 0.16 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.52 | 17–30 in 2023-06-12 | 1.95 lb |
| Black Crappie | 2.51 | 4–9 in 2023-06-12 | 0.27 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 1.78 | 10–12 in 2023-06-12 | 0.54 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.62 | 4–6 in 2016-06-13 | 0.22 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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
Bluegill
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
From the 2023-06-12 survey
Little Sturgeon Lake is located approximately 14 miles northwest of Chisholm, MN and within the Little Fork River Watershed. The 247-acre lake has 54 littoral acres with a 22 foot maximum depth, and is moderately developed along the 3.6 mile shoreline. A public access is located on the north side of the Sturgeon River…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Sturgeon Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little SturgeonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Sturgeon (1804)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little SturgeonFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little SturgeonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Little Sturgeon Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 12, 2023 caught 0.83 walleye per gill net at Little Sturgeon Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 12 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 Sturgeon Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Little Sturgeon Lake is dated June 12, 2023. 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 Sturgeon Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Little Sturgeon 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.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Little Sturgeon Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Sturgeon Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 4 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
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Little Sturgeon Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Little Sturgeon Lake
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