Siseebakwet Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 31055400
DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Siseebakwet Lake since 2017, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2025 (11,388 fish).
- Siseebakwet Lake has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2017-2025): walleye (5).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 54,646 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 105 ft; surface area 1,210 acres, 292 littoral acres, 5.8 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 13.3 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, burbot, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Itasca County, nearest town Grand Rapids; DNR lake number (DOW) 31055400.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 1/1/1951 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 11,388 | 438.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 11,826 | 438.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 7,956 | 438.0 |
| 2019 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 9,460 | 430.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 14,016 | 584.0 |
2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.
Field note · Minnesota stocks by year, not by truck day: walleye fry go in within weeks of ice-out, fingerlings and yearlings mostly in fall, and stream trout in spring and fall. A row here means the fish went in during that year; DNR adds the year's rows after the fact, so the current year can look empty until winter.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | county | A small county owned public access is located on the north shore off of Co. Rd. 239. - The access was "fixed up" in 2017 after last winter when ice pushed it apart. |
DNR fish survey, 2024
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 29.83 | 179 | 1.03 |
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 6.67 | 40 | 0.74 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 2.67 | 16 | 2.33 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 2.17 | 13 | 0.42 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 0.83 | 5 | 7.41 |
| Tullibee (cisco) | Standard gill nets | 0.17 | 1 | 0.86 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 14.75 | 177 | 0.14 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 3.25 | 39 | 0.47 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 3.08 | 37 | 0.54 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.83 | 10 | 0.24 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 0.42 | 5 | 0.14 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.25 | 3 | 2.57 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 0.08 | 1 | 0.19 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.08 | 1 | 2.18 |
Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.
Siseebakwet Lake, also known as Sugar, is a popular Walleye fishery known for producing keeper sized fish, though the bite can be difficult due to exceptional water quality. To maintain the fishery, Walleye fingerlings are stocked in odd years. Rusty crayfish are an invasive species that has been documented at various abundances in past surveys. It is unclear what, if any, impact they have on the fish community. Walleye were sampled at a rate well above what is expected for lakes of this type, and consistent with recent observations for Siseebakwet. Sizes of the fish were moderate, averaging 14 inches, with few large individuals which was similar to past surveys. There was a wide range of ages observed, and distribution was comparable to the stocking history. However, natural reproduction was evident as almost 11% had ages associated to non-stocked years. Growth was consistent with the statewide average and past surveys suggesting abundance has not been averse to growth. Walleye averaged almost 16 inches by age 5. Yellow Perch are an important prey species. The 2024 catch was lower than expected for the lake and lake type. However, there appears to be favorable angling opportunities as lengths averaged 9 inches and fish over 12 inches were sampled. Northern Pike are not abundant and catches have consistently been lower than expected. The few fish sampled had an average length of 30 inches. Siseebakwet has the attributes to produce large pike and anglers are encouraged to release fish over 26 to help realize the lakes potential. Lakes like Siseebakwet are not known for panfish production, yet panfish catches were favorable. The Bluegill catch was about average for the type of lake but noticeably more than what has been observed. The Black Crappie catch exceeded expectations and was similar to the past survey. Rock Bass were abundant, exceeding expectations for both gear types. Observed sizes was satisfactory for all species. Other species sampled included Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed Sunfish, Tullibee and White Sucker.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
All Minnesota stockings · every Minnesota lake with a page · state CSV · this lake on DNR LakeFinder
Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02; contours are the DNR bathymetric survey. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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