South Sturgeon Lake

How big is South Sturgeon Lake?

How deep is South Sturgeon Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in South Sturgeon Lake?

Are there boat launches on South Sturgeon Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near South Sturgeon Lake?

South Sturgeon Lake is a 192 acre lake located 14 miles northwest of Chisholm, MN in the Littlefork River watershed. South Sturgeon is in lake class 20. Lake class 20 lakes are relatively small, deep lakes with low alkalinity and productivity. Other area lakes in this class are Scooty and Snaptail Lakes. South Sturgeon is one of five lakes in the Sturgeon chain of lakes and has dark, bog-stained water. There is a public access at the southwest corner of the lake.Net catches in South Sturgeon Lake have historically been low for most species. Gill-net catches for northern pike have been below the normal range in all surveys, but the average size has been good. The northern pike gill-net catch was 0.7/net in 2002. Fish ranged from 23.3 to 37.9 inches with an average length of 31.7 inches and an average weight of 8.1 pounds.Walleye abundance has been low in all assessments. The record high gill-net catch of 2.2/net occurred in the 1955 survey. Walleye gill-net abundance has not exceeded the lake class median of 0.5/net in any survey since then. The walleye gill-net catch in the 2002 assessment was at the low end of the normal range, at 0.3/net. Walleye stocking over the years has included fry, frylings and fingerlings at varying rates and frequencies. These stocking efforts have not resulted in any appreciable increase in walleye abundance. South Sturgeon Lake's low fertility and low perch abundance likely contribute to low walleye abundance.Gill-net catches of yellow perch have been low in all assessments, never exceeding 2.7/net (lake class median = 6.2/net). The 2002 gill-net catch was 0.8/net, below the normal range and the lowest since 1975. Tullibee appeared to be moderately abundant in South Sturgeon Lake. The 2002 tullibee gill-net catch was 4.8/net, within the normal range and similar to the previous assessment. Gill-net sampled tullibee had an average length of 10.4 inches. Tullibee likely serve as an important prey base for the large northern pike in South Sturgeon.Bluegill abundance has historically been low. The bluegill trap-net catch was 3.3/net in 2002. Bluegill ranged from 3.0 to 9.1 inches, with a mean length of 5.2 inches.Trap-net catches of black crappie have been within the normal range in most assessments. The trap-net catch was 2.4/net in 2002, near the lake class median of 2.6/net. Size structure of black crappie was fair in 2002. Trap-net sampled crappie ranged in length from 3.7 to 11.2 inches, with an average length of 7.3 inches. Age and growth analysis revealed ages 1 and 3-7 were represented, indicating consistent natural reproduction. Growth rates were near the statewide average for all ages.Other species sampled in the latest assessment included: largemouth bass, hybrid sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse and white sucker. In order to maintain or improve fish and wildlife populations, water quality and habitat must be protected. People often associate water quality problems with large-scale agricultural, forestry, urban development or industrial practices in the watershed. In reality, the impact of land use decisions on one lake lot may seem relatively small, yet the combined effects of many lakeshore owners "fixing up" their property can result in a significant decline in water quality and habitat. For example, removing shoreline and aquatic vegetation, installing sand beach blankets, fertilizing lawns, mowing to the waters edge, uncontrolled run-off and failing septic systems all contribute excess nutrients and sediment which degrade water quality and habitat. Understanding these cumulative impacts and taking steps to avoid or minimize them will help to insure our quality fisheries can be enjoyed by future generations. Refer to http://www.shorelandmanagement.org/ for more information.

What is the average air temp for South Sturgeon Lake?

Are there any state parks near South Sturgeon Lake?