Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 24, 2013
Sprite Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Sprite Lake average 16.00 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 24, 2013. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 16–21 inches. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, Sprite Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). 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 Sprite Lake
1 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 Sprite Lake
No stocking record for Sprite 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.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Sprite Lake average 16.00 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 24, 2013. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 16–21 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 Sprite Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2013-06-24 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Northern Pike | 16.00 | 1.5 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.
Northern Pike
From the 2013-06-24 survey
Sprite Lake is located approximately 12 miles NW of Ely and is entirely within the BWCAW. It has a surface area of 12 acres and a maximum depth of 16 feet. Dissolved oxygen readings were adequate to 7 feet. Sprite Lake has poor water clarity and is very bog stained. Northern pike were the only fish species sampled.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Sprite Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — SpriteFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Sprite Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Sprite Lake average 16.00 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 24, 2013. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 16–21 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 1 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 Sprite Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Sprite Lake is dated June 24, 2013. 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 Sprite Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Sprite 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 Sprite 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 Sprite Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter. 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.
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