Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 10, 2023
Side Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Side Lake average 7.31 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 10, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–17 inches. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, Side Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 11.5 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.
Species recorded at Side Lake
15 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 Side 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 Side 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 Side Lake average 7.31 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 10, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–17 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Side Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-10 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 9.52 | 1.23 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.27 | 0.17 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 7.31 | 1.38 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.03 | 1.47 lb |
| White Sucker | 3.24 | 2.34 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 2.04 | 0.17 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.
Tullibee (Cisco)
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
From the 2023-07-10 survey
Side Lake is a moderately-sized (372 acre) lake located on the Sturgeon Chain of Lakes near Side Lake, Minnesota. Side Lake has relatively clear water, modest fertility and low alkalinity. These characteristics result in good water quality but limit fish production. The lake includes shoreline within McCarthy Beach…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Side Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SideFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Side (1768)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — SideFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — SidePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Side Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Side Lake average 7.31 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 10, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–17 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 15 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 Side Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Side Lake is dated July 10, 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 Side Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Side 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 Side Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Side Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. 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 Side Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Side Lake
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