Little Sugar Bush Lake
Becker County, Minnesota221 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Sugar Bush Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- 29 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Sugar Bush Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 220.53 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 6, 2023 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Little Sugar Bush Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Sugar Bush Lake is a 221-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Becker County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 29 feet. The lake supports 13 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 83 other monitored lakes in Becker County, Little Sugar Bush Lake ranks #80 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2023-09-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Sugar Bush Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing13 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Sugar Bush Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Little Sugar Bush Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Sugar Bush Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 5.9 ft. Phosphorus 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20.4 µg/L. TSI 55.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 5.9ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 29.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 20.4µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 55 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Little Sugar Bush Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 6, 2023 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Little Sugar Bush Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Sugar Bush Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
13 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-06 (Standard Survey).
13 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-06 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 34.33 | 5–9 in 2023-06-06 | 0.18 lb |
| Bluegill | 27.62 | 2–10 in 2023-06-06 | 0.21 lb |
| Green Sunfish | 8.72 | 7 in 2023-06-06 | 0.13 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.53 | 9–38 in 2023-06-06 | 1.84 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
Green Sunfish
Northern Pike
From the 2023-06-06 survey
Little Sugar Bush Lake is a 221-acre lake located in central Becker County near the community of Richwood. The lake is located within the White Earth Indian Reservation. The lake is moderately developed and surrounded by hardwood forest, marsh, and agricultural land. Submerged vegetation is common throughout near…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Sugar Bush 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 Sugar BushFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Sugar Bush (1023)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Little Sugar BushFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little Sugar BushPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
29 ft
Surface area
221 acres
Shoreline
3.6 mi
Littoral zone
45%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
4 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,457 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Sugar Bush LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Sugar Bush Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Sugar Bush Lake in Becker County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Little Sugar Bush Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Sugar Bush Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Little Sugar Bush Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Sugar Bush Lake
- → Little Sugar Bush Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Sugar Bush Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Sugar Bush Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Sugar Bush Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Nearby Lakes in Becker County
Frequently asked questions about Little Sugar Bush Lake
Where is Little Sugar Bush Lake?
- Little Sugar Bush Lake is a lake in Becker County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Sugar Bush Lake?
- Little Sugar Bush Lake in Becker County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 5.9 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 29 ft. Surface area: 220.53 acres.
Is Little Sugar Bush Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
How deep is Little Sugar Bush Lake?
- Little Sugar Bush Lake has a maximum depth of 29 feet. The lake covers 220.53 acres.
What fish are in Little Sugar Bush Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Sugar Bush Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Sugar Bush Lake is located in Becker County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Sugar Bush Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 6, 2023 caught 4.00 walleye per gill net at Little Sugar Bush Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Sugar Bush Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Little Sugar Bush Lake?
- Little Sugar Bush Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Sugar Bush Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Sugar Bush Lake?
- Little Sugar Bush Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Little Sugar Bush Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
34 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2023. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Chippewa Tribe, Minnesota (White Earth Band) (Tribal)
WEARTH_WQX34 samples · 2023
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Turbidity by Nephelometry
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory