Fishing at Sauers Lake, Becker County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Set in Becker County, Sauers Lake is a Minnesota water. The water sits 1,322 feet up. It runs to roughly 183 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The edge runs 2.7 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. On our Becker County list it sits near the top for size. Detroit Lakes lies 7.1 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Fargo, 44 miles away. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Sauers Lake

  Sounding records show water to about 45 feet. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Open biodiversity records for Becker County list bluegill, largemouth bass, walleye, northern pike and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Sauers Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 5°F in January to roughly 69°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. On average, mid April opens the water and late November closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Sauers Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Launching is possible: a slipway lies half a mile off. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. A rest area sits about half a mile from the water. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Mill Lake, 0.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Sauers Lake.