Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 20, 2016
West Sturgeon Lake FishingCWater-quality grade C
Minnesota DNR surveys at West Sturgeon Lake average 1.99 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 16–26 inches. In Itasca County, Minnesota, West Sturgeon Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of C. Water clarity averages 4.1 feet of visibility, and the lake has public access. 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 West Sturgeon Lake
12 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 West Sturgeon Lake
No stocking record for West Sturgeon 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
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at West Sturgeon Lake average 1.99 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 16–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades West Sturgeon Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-06-20 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 8.57 | 0.11 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 4.04 | 0.65 lb |
| Northern Pike | 1.99 | 1.81 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 1.95 | 0.12 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.68 | 0.21 lb |
| White Sucker | 1.23 | 2.25 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.
Bluegill
Tullibee (Cisco)
Northern Pike
Yellow Perch
From the 2016-06-20 survey
West Sturgeon is a small, infertile lake located about 15 miles northwest of Chisholm, Minnesota. There is no public access on the lake but access can be attained from other lakes in the chain. Small, infertile lakes like West Sturgeon often do not have the ability to produce high quality fisheries and are vulnerable…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for West Sturgeon Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — West SturgeonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — West Sturgeon (0829)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — West SturgeonPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in West Sturgeon Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at West Sturgeon Lake average 1.99 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 5 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 16–26 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 12 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 West Sturgeon Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for West Sturgeon Lake is dated June 20, 2016. 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 West Sturgeon Lake stocked?
No stocking record for West Sturgeon 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 West Sturgeon Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades West Sturgeon Lake C from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 3 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 West Sturgeon Lake
Top-rated places to stay near West Sturgeon Lake
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