Sylvia Lake

How big is Sylvia Lake?

How deep is Sylvia Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Sylvia Lake?

What are the closest cities to Sylvia Lake?

Are there boat launches on Sylvia Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Sylvia Lake?

What aquatic invasive species are found in Sylvia Lake?

Sylvia Lake is a small, scenic lake in northern Stearns County which is influenced by both Little Birch Lake which is upstream and the outlet, Adley Creek which is connected to the Sauk River. A fishing pier and shoreline fishing site at the county park on the southwest side of the lake along with a public access on the south side provide opportunities for anglers. Water clarity was 8 feet which appears to be typical for the lake in August when looking at past records.
The lake supports an unusual fish community for this area of the state. The gamefish portion is comprised of walleye, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, channel catfish, and yellow perch. Average size of the northern pike observed in the assessment was about two pounds, but fish over 30 inches can be found. Immigration from Little Birch Lake and/or natural reproduction appears to sustain the walleye population and some large walleye have been documented in the past. Sylvia Lake appears to be well suited for smallmouth bass as they were more numerous than largemouth bass in the assessment, but more of the larger bass observed were largemouth bass. Local residents reported a decrease in bullhead abundance and an increase in catfish numbers although few of either species were caught in the assessment.
Roughfish species include tullibee or cisco, white suckers, shorthead redhorse, greater redhorse, bigmouth buffalo, bowfin or dogfish, common carp and two species of bullhead. Bigmouth buffalo were documented for the first time in the lake in 2011. The presence of that species along with the greater redhorse, shorthead redhorse, and channel catfish indicates the influence of a river connection. With the diversity of roughfish species available as prey, the gamefish display good growth rates and body condition. A wide range of sizes were observed in the tullibee catch with some measuring up to 18 inches. The tullibee appeared to be free of Triaenophorus or white grub.
There are also several panfish species available to anglers such as bluegill, black crappie, pumpkinseed sunfish, hybrid sunfish, and rock bass. Shoreline fishermen are typically seen catching crappie, bluegill, and largemouth bass from the county park fishing pier and shoreline. Both quality size crappie and bluegill were observed, but average size of the bluegill was about six inches while crappie over nine inches were common in the assessment.
The bog ecosystem with its many springs on the west side of Sylvia Lake is rare in central Minnesota and preserving it is encouraged. With the steep drop-offs around much of the lake, vegetation beds are few. Limiting vegetation removal is necessary to protect what sparse fish habitat there is. Lake associations on the lakes higher in the watershed, Big Birch and Little Birch, have taken steps to address nutrients entering their lakes. Improving water quality in the upper watershed should help the quality in Sylvia Lake. Eurasian watermilfoil was documented for the first time in Sylvia Lake in 2011, so boaters should be diligent about removing vegetation from their boats when leaving the lake. Selective fish harvest is also encouraged to minimize impacts to the fish community. Releasing larger walleye and northern pike, smallmouth bass and voluntarily limiting harvest of large panfish will help sustain the quality and balance of the fish community, especially in smaller lakes like Sylvia.

What is the average air temp for Sylvia Lake?

Are there any state parks near Sylvia Lake?