Cut Foot Sioux Lake

How big is Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

How deep is Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

What are the closest cities to Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

Are there topographical lake maps available Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

We have an topograpical map for online viewing near the top of this page. Lake-Link Pro users can download an print a topograpical map of Cut Foot Sioux Lake (.pdf format) along with 2,700 more lake maps. For more information on all the benefits of Lake-Link Pro click here.

Big Cut Foot Sioux Lake

Are there boat launches on Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

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What are the fishing regulations for Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

There are specific fishing regulations Cut Foot Sioux Lake that you need to know. For complete fishing regulations visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. To report a violation call (800) 652-9093. Need a Minnesota fishing license?

What aquatic invasive species are found in Cut Foot Sioux Lake?

Cut Foot Sioux is a 2,771 acre lake located 15 miles northwest of Deer River, Minnesota. The lake is connected to Little Cut Foot Sioux and Winnibigoshish, making it a popular fishing destination. The section of Fisheries has managed the laked primarily for Walleye and Northern Pike, but other popular species include Bluegill, Black Crappie, Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, and Yellow Perch. Fisheries staff survey the lake approximately every five years, with the most recent survey occurring in 2023.

Bluegill and Black Crappie are popular panfish species for anglers to target on Cut Foot Sioux. The lake is currently managed for quality sized sunfish, with a five fish bag limit. Bluegill sampled during the 2023 survey ranged from about 6 to 9 inches, and approximately half were from a very strong 2020 year class that averaged 6.6 inches. Black Crappie are not typically caught in large numbers in mid-summer when this survey is completed so the sample size was small, but still within the range expected for similar lakes. Crappies ranged from 5 to 12 inches. Recent creel surveys have shown that more anglers are targeting Black Crappie in Cut Foot Sioux than they have in the past.

Northern Pike are fairly abundant in Cut Foot Sioux when comparing catch rates to similar lakes. High density populations tend to have a poor size structure, and while there are a lot of small pike in Cut Foot Sioux, the lake has shown the ability to grow some large pike as well. The largest sampled in 2023 measured 40.6 inches. Anglers are encouraged to harvest small Northern Pike while releasing large individuals to improve the size structure of the population.

While the strength of any given year class can widely vary, the overall abundance of Walleye in Cut Foot Sioux has remained stable over time. A strong 2019 year class made up 39% of the Walleye caught during the 2023 survey. The 2018 and 2021 year classes were also fairly well represented in the catch. With the current age distribution, the population mostly consisted of 14 to 17 inch Walleye. The 2019 year class averaged just under 15 inches at the time of the survey while the 2018 year class averaged just over 16 inches. There is some natural reproduction in Cut Foot Sioux and Winnibigoshish, and Walleye fry are also stocked here annually. It is common for Walleye populations to be dominated by just a few year classes at any given time, but there is usually some measurable amount of recruitment in Cut Foot Sioux from most year classes. During the 2023 survey there were 9 year classes present. Ages ranged from 1 to 13 years old, with sizes ranging from about 8 to 24 inches.

Yellow Perch are commonly targeted in the connected Lake Winnibigoshish, but the size structure of the population in Cut Foot Sioux tends to run smaller. About 7% of the Yellow Perch caught in gill nets in 2023 were over 8 inches, and the average length was 6.6 inches. While there are some harvestable size fish in the lake, Yellow Perch typically provide more value as a prey item for the predators in Cut Foot Sioux.

Tullibee (Cisco) are another important prey item. Tullibee have been decreasing in abundance in Cut Foot Sioux, which matches a trend that has been observed in Winnibigoshish and many other lakes over the past few decades. Other gamefish species in Cut Foot Sioux include Largemouth Bass and Muskellunge. These species are not commonly caught with the sample nets that are used for standard lake surveys. Other species caught in low abundance during the 2023 survey include Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Burbot, Hybrid Sunfish, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Rock Bass, White Sucker, and Yellow Bullhead.

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Are there any state parks near Cut Foot Sioux Lake?