Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 25, 2024
Sallie Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Sallie Lake average 23.83 yellow perch per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 14 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 25, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–8 inches. In Becker County, Minnesota, Sallie Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 13.0 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 Sallie Lake
16 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 Sallie 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
1 public boat landing is recorded on Sallie 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 Sallie Lake average 23.83 yellow perch per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 14 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 25, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–8 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Sallie Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 2024-07-25 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 39.04 | 0.78 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 25.63 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 23.83 | 0.13 lb |
| Bluegill | 19.64 | 0.21 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 11.89 | — |
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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Bluegill
From the 2024-07-25 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Lake Sallie was conducted July 26th, 29th, and 30th, 2024, by Detroit Lakes Fisheries Staff. Data was collected from 18 sampling stations evenly spaced around the lake. All stations were sampled with a backpack electrofishing unit, 13 were sampled with a 50-foot seine and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sallie Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SallieFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Sallie (1229)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SallieFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SalliePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Sallie Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Sallie Lake average 23.83 yellow perch per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 14 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 25, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–8 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 16 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 Sallie Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Sallie Lake is dated July 25, 2024. 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 Sallie Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Sallie 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 Sallie Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Sallie Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 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.
Where to stay near Sallie Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Sallie Lake
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