Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 4, 2012
Sand Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Sand Lake average 13.11 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 3 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 4, 2012. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 19–19 inches. In Stearns County, Minnesota, Sand Lake has no letter grade — the only measurement available is water clarity, which is not a water-quality indicator on its own — EPA's National Lakes Assessment does not grade clarity. Water clarity averages 2.5 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.
Stocking at Sand Lake
No stocking record for 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 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 Sand Lake average 13.11 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 3 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 4, 2012. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 19–19 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Sand Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2012-06-04 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Crappie | 69.01 | 0.18 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 43.40 | 0.25 lb |
| Bluegill | 32.39 | 0.12 lb |
| Walleye | 13.11 | 2.53 lb |
| White Sucker | 10.12 | 1.71 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.92 | 1.21 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.
Black Crappie
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Walleye
From the 2012-06-04 survey
Sand Lake is located in north central Stearns County, three miles southwest of Albany. It has a surface area of 202 acres and a maximum depth of about 15 feet. A public access is located along the west shore. Due to the shallowness of the lake and poor water quality, the lake periodically experiences partial…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sand Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Sand Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Sand Lake average 13.11 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 3 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 4, 2012. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 19–19 inches. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Sand Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Sand Lake is dated June 4, 2012. 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 Sand Lake stocked?
No stocking record for 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 Sand Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Sand Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, 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
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 Sand Lake
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