Sand Lake, Sawyer County Fishing
A 949-acre Wisconsin lake in Sawyer County, down to 50 feet.
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The basics of Sand Lake, Sawyer County for anglers
Sand Lake, Sawyer County is a lake of 949 acres lying in Sawyer County. The bottom drops to 50 feet at most, with a mean of 21 feet. For a home base, Stone Lake is roughly 3 miles away. It falls in the WDNR Northern Region. Its WDNR lake class is complex cool dark.
WDNR tracks a musky population here (natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2)). The state designates it an Outstanding Resource Water. Being in the ceded territory, it follows the three-walleye bag. Find a Lake shows walleye, muskellunge, northern pike, largemouth bass, panfish and smallmouth bass. Public launching comes through 1 public boat landing. About 7.8 feet of clarity, by the 2017 satellite estimate.
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Abundance labels for Sand Lake, Sawyer County come straight from the WDNR lake page.
| Fish group | WDNR abundance |
|---|---|
| Walleye | Abundant |
| Musky | Common |
| Northern Pike | Common |
| Largemouth Bass | Present |
| Panfish | Present |
| Smallmouth Bass | Present |
WDNR musky category for Sand Lake, Sawyer County is natural reproduction plus stocking (cat. 2).
WDNR on lakes like Sand Lake, Sawyer County
“Complex cool dark lakes can often support quality or action walleye fisheries, and can have great action fisheries for yellow perch, and have the potential to produce quality northern pike and muskellunge fisheries.”
WDNR Find a Lake fish list and abundance, WDNR lake classification and fisheries designation layers, checked October 2026.
Launching on Sand Lake, Sawyer County
- Sand Lake Public Access1 lane, 6 to 10 trailer stalls, boarding dock, restroom, Property Manager
Other launches near Sand Lake, Sawyer County
- Lower Holly Lake AccessLower Holly Lake, 1 mile southeast
- Whitefish Lake Access near CouderayWhitefish Lake, 2 miles east
- Stone Lake Access near HaywardStone Lake, 2 miles west
- Victory Heights LandingLac Courte Oreilles, 3 miles northeast
- Spring Lake Public AccessSpring Lake, 4 miles southwest
- Durphee LandingDurphee Lake, 4 miles northeast
WDNR Boat Access and Shore Fishing layers and Find a Lake landing table, checked October 2026.
Water quality and bottom at Sand Lake, Sawyer County
Expect a bottom of 85% sand, 0% gravel, 15% rock, 0% muck on Sand Lake, Sawyer County.
By water source, Sand Lake, Sawyer County counts as a drainage lake (a stream flows in and out).
Invasive species the WDNR has confirmed in Sand Lake, Sawyer County: banded mystery snail, chinese mystery snail, japanese mystery snail and rusty crayfish. Clean boats and drain live wells before leaving the landing.
On Sand Lake, Sawyer County, local rules cover water skiing restrictions.
WDNR Find a Lake page, WDNR Landsat lake clarity layer, checked October 2026.
Seasons and bag limits on Sand Lake, Sawyer County
For Sand Lake, Sawyer County, the DNR regulation search returns the rows shown here.
| Species | Season | Rule |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye, sauger and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | Minimum length for walleye is 18" and bag limit for walleye, sauger, and hybrids is 3 in total. |
| Muskellunge and hybrids | May 2, 2026 to December 31, 2026 on open water | The minimum length limit is 40" and the daily bag limit is 1. |
| Northern pike | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | May 2, 2026 to March 7, 2027 | The minimum length limit is 14" and the daily bag limit is 5. |
| Panfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Catfish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Lake sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Shovelnose sturgeon | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| Cisco and whitefish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is 10. |
| Rock, yellow and white bass | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Bullheads | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Rough fish | Open All Year | No minimum length limit and the daily bag limit is unlimited. |
| Paddlefish | Closed | No fishing allowed. |
| White perch | Open All Year | The daily bag limit is 0, one may be killed and possessed for transport to a WDNR Office. |
The all-species line for Sand Lake, Sawyer County reads: Catch and release fishing for largemouth and smallmouth bass is open year round unless otherwise noted. Motor Trolling is allowed with up to 3 hooks, baits, or lures, per angler.
The Sawyer County entry says: Sawyer County is in the ceded territory (see page 13 for additional ceded territory information). For all lakes and flowages that are also partially within Washburn County, largemouth and smallmouth bass of any length may be kept. A portion of Sawyer County is in the Northern Bass Zone (see base regulations on page 12). Motor trolling is permitted countywide (three hooks, baits or lures per person).
Pike rules here follow the zone north of Hwy 10; bass follow the Northern or Southern Bass Zone (the county is split; see the guide map).
WDNR Lake Regulation search and the 2026-2027 Guide to Wisconsin Hook and Line Fishing Regulations, checked October 2026.
Fish stocked in Sand Lake, Sawyer County
WDNR crews stocked Sand Lake, Sawyer County 1 times from 2024 to 2024, 2,829 fish counted.
| Year | Species | Size | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Muskellunge | large fingerling | 7.3 in | 2,829 |
WDNR Fish Stocking Summary, stocking years 2023 to 2025. Wisconsin stocking.
Sand Lake, Sawyer County against nearby lakes
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Max depth ft | Landings | WDNR class |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Sand Lake, Sawyer County | 949 | 50 | 1 | complex cool dark | |
| Little Sand Lake, Sawyer County | 1 mile west | 79 | 14 | 0 | simple cool dark |
| Upper Holly Lake | 1 mile east | 33 | 14 | 0 | simple cool dark |
| Lower Holly Lake | 2 miles southeast | 48 | 15 | 1 | simple cool dark |
| Ham Lake, Sawyer County | 2 miles southeast | 96 | 28 | 0 | complex cool clear |
| Hungry Lake, Sawyer County | 2 miles southeast | 45 | 23 | 0 | simple warm dark |
WDNR Find a Lake, lake classification and boat access layers.
Close to Sand Lake, Sawyer County
More water to try near Sand Lake, Sawyer County
- Little Sand Lake, Sawyer County1 mile west
- Upper Holly Lake1 mile east
- Lower Holly Lake2 miles southeast
- Ham Lake, Sawyer County2 miles southeast
- Hungry Lake, Sawyer County2 miles southeast
Shops that serve Sand Lake, Sawyer County anglers
- Stone Lake Bait & Tacklebait and tackle shop, Stone Lake, 2 miles
- Timber Marine Servicesbait and tackle shop, Hayward, 6 miles
- Long Lake Bait Tackle & C-STRbait and tackle shop, Sarona, 10 miles
- Hayward Outfitters – Hayward Water Sportsbait and tackle shop, Hayward, 11 miles
- Hayward Fly Fishing Cofly shop, Hayward, 11 miles
- Hayward Bait And Bottle Shoppe Incbait and tackle shop, Hayward, 11 miles
Communities around Sand Lake, Sawyer County
- Stone Lake3 miles
- Reserve7 miles
- Chief Lake10 miles
Counties holding Sand Lake, Sawyer County
- Sawyer Countyseat: Hayward
Piscifun reels sized for Sand Lake, Sawyer County
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Water close to Sand Lake, Sawyer County in photographs
Photo: TimothyMN, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Charlocharlie, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: Jeff the quiet, CC0 1.0
Photo: John Thompson Johntwiki, Public domain
Common questions about fishing Sand Lake, Sawyer County
Where in Wisconsin is Sand Lake, Sawyer County?
Sawyer County holds it, WDNR Northern Region, about 3 miles from Stone Lake.
How deep does Sand Lake, Sawyer County get?
Roughly 949 acres and 50 feet at the deepest.
Which public landing serves anglers on Sand Lake, Sawyer County?
There are 1 mapped landing; Sand Lake Public Access has the most lanes.
Is Sand Lake, Sawyer County good for panfish?
WDNR lists walleye (abundant), muskellunge (common), northern pike (common), largemouth bass (present), panfish (present) and smallmouth bass (present).
Which WDNR rules cover Sand Lake, Sawyer County?
For Walleye, sauger and hybrids, Minimum length for walleye is 18" and bag limit for walleye, sauger, and hybrids is 3 in total.
Which Wisconsin license covers fishing Sand Lake, Sawyer County?
Anglers 16 and older need a Wisconsin fishing license: $20 a year for residents and $55 for nonresidents, with a $5 first-time buyer rate for residents.
What is the water like in Sand Lake, Sawyer County?
Satellite clarity about 7.8 feet (2017). Bottom: 85% sand, 0% gravel, 15% rock, 0% muck. WDNR class: complex cool dark. Type: drainage.
Where are minnows sold on the drive to Sand Lake, Sawyer County?
Drive 2 miles to reach Stone Lake Bait & Tackle.
Which fish are stocked in Sand Lake, Sawyer County?
Latest on file (2024): 2,829 muskellunge.
Trailer up for Sand Lake, Sawyer County
Check the posted rules before keeping fish.