Lake Sarah

How big is Lake Sarah?

How deep is Lake Sarah?

What kind of fish can you catch in Lake Sarah?

What are the closest cities to Lake Sarah?

Are there boat launches on Lake Sarah?

Are there places to eat and drink near Lake Sarah?

What aquatic invasive species are found in Lake Sarah?

Lake Sarah is a 1,093-acre, class 41 lake, located approximately 4 miles south of the City of Garvin in Murray County. Lake Sarah has a maximum depth of 11.0 feet and a watershed-to-lake ratio of 10-to-1. Lake Sarah is managed primarily for Walleye and secondarily for Yellow Perch. Lake Sarah's Walleye population is unique in the Windom fisheries management area. It is sustained through natural reproduction alone, as it has not been stocked since 1991.

A genetics study found that Lake Sarah's Walleye are unique to the Cannon River in east-central Minnesota, which was used as an egg take source decades ago by the Waterville Office. The study suggested that the Lower Mississippi strain (LMS) of Walleye has persisted in some southern waters despite extensive stocking of a northern "Mississippi strain" Walleye and the fact that the LMS Walleye egg take and subsequent stocking ended decades ago. In other words, the only way these unique genetics persisted in some of these southern waters is through natural reproduction through the decades. The study also suggested that the LMS strain of Walleye in Lake Sarah is able to naturally reproduce, thereby creating a self-sustaining population. An egg take from Lake Sarah Walleye was started in the spring of 2015 to utilize these genetics in southern Minnesota. It is the goal to create other southern Minnesota lakes with similar self-sustaining populations and thereby creating additional egg take lakes and establish genetic conservation.

Annual fall night electrofishing is done on the lake to monitor natural reproduction. Two-hours of night electrofishing was conducted on October 9, 2023 to assess natural reproduction. Below is a table with historical catch data. The catch of age-0 (YOY) Walleye was 1,344.50 per hour, which is the greatest on record. It should be noted there were too many age-0 Walleye to dip so the catch rate is a count after dipping the first 20 fish for measurement. Average length of Walleye sampled was 9.3 inches (Table 1). The Average length in 2023 was just shy of the largest average length (9.5 inches) observed in 2006. Year class suppression has been documented in populations that have consecutive big year classes; however, this has not yet been observed on Lake Sarah. A poor year class has proven to be less than 30 YOY per hour for Lake Sarah and when fish don't reach 5 inches or greater by fall, therefore, the potential for strong year classes is excellent in Lake Sarah. The 2023 year class could prove to be one of the most consequential, not only in Lake Sarah, but in southern Minnesota. Walleye reproduction will be monitored annually to assess natural reproduction and determine if egg take operations are causing a change in reproduction potential of the Lake Sarah population. To date, there have been no adverse impacts realized to the Lake Sarah Walleye population as a result of the annual egg-take operation. However, in the event that we do see any adverse impacts, egg-take operations may need to cease.



Table 1. Historic catch rates for young-of-the-year (YOY) Walleye during fall night electrofishing on Lake Sarah.
Date Total N Mean Length Catch Rate (n/hour)
10/9/2023 2,689 9.3 1,344.5
10/10/2022 850 6.4 425.0
10/14/2021 880 8.4 440.0
10/7/2020 937 8.2 468.5
10/7/2019 180 8.5 163.6
10/16/2018 81 9.2 81.0
10/10/2017 216 7.7 288.0
9/27/2016 253 8.2 337.3
10/6/2015 32 9.0 28.6
10/15/2014 350 7.8 244.2
10/7/2013 293 8.1 290.4
10/11/2012 193 8.4 186.7
10/20/2011 312 8.2 301.5
9/21/2010 162 8.2 149.5
9/28/2006 56 9.5 74.7
10/10/2005 145 9.1 96.7
9/28/2004 77 7.7 77.0
10/8/2003 12 9.1 16.0
9/18/2001 174 7.2 139.2
9/24/2000 90 7.1 60.0
9/16/1999 101 6.9 93.2
9/24/1998 105 8.1 105.0
10/14/1997 61 7.1 40.7
9/29/1996 183 6.4 183.0
10/9/1995 50 7.6 33.3
10/13/1994 296 7.9 197.3
10/14/1993 86 7.4 57.3

What is the average air temp for Lake Sarah?

Are there any state parks near Lake Sarah?