Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 18, 2025
White Sand Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at White Sand Lake average 24.85 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 11 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 18, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches. In Crow Wing County, Minnesota, White Sand 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 White Sand Lake
14 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 White Sand 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 White 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 White Sand Lake average 24.85 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 11 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 18, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades White Sand 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
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-18 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 35.25 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 24.85 | 1.11 lb |
| Bluegill | 20.35 | 0.15 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 6.67 | 0.97 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 5.79 | 0.67 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Brown Bullhead
Black Bullhead
From the 2025-08-18 survey
White Sand is a 415 acre lake in the city of Baxter in Crow Wing County. Largemouth Bass is the primary management species and is monitored through spring electrofishing. Northern Pike and Walleye are secondary management species and larger Walleyes are stocked when available to create a "bonus" fishery. A standard…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for White Sand Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — White SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — White SandFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — White SandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in White Sand Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at White Sand Lake average 24.85 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 11 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated August 18, 2025. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 5–19 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 14 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 White Sand Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for White Sand Lake is dated August 18, 2025. 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 White Sand Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for White Sand 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 White Sand Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades White Sand 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.
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