5 miles east of Pillager
Morrison County, Minnesota · 46.3097° N, 94.3856° W
The Minnesota DNR lists no public access site on Sylvan Lake; much of the shore may be private.
Updated 19 Oct 2026, 6:09 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 8 stockings of Sylvan Lake in 8 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 200,000 walleye fry. Species stocked: walleye.
Latest: 2025: 200,000 walleye fry.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries (LakeFinder stocking reports), fetched 15 Oct 2026. How we measure
Measured from Minnesota DNR contours. How we measure
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of Sylvan Lake was in June 2014: 12 trap nets caught 17 species. This survey is 12 years old. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in April 2024; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 1990 31 · 1996 36 · 2002 70 · 2008 25 · 2014 20
Northern pike: 9 measured, 11 to 25 in, half 21 in or longer.
Largemouth bass: 52 measured, 3 to 19 in, half 8 in or longer; average 1.4 lb, above normal (normal 0.2–1 lb).
Smb: 5 measured, 3 to 6 in, half 4 in or longer.
Black crappie: 8 measured, 3 to 10 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.3 lb, normal (normal 0.2–0.6 lb).
Bluegill: 238 measured, 3 to 8 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.21 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Also caught: bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, northern pike, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, white sucker, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 12 Jun 2014, via LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Normal range: DNR’s range for lakes of the same class (43 classes, grouped by water chemistry and shape). Each line has its own scale. How we measure
Measured water clarity averages about 6 ft: the Secchi depth across 2 readings, 2008–2014.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Sylvan Lake is 31 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 322 acres.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 8 stockings of it in 8 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 200,000 walleye fry.
Minnesota DNR’s June 2014 standard survey caught 17 species, most often bluegill, pumpkinseed, northern pike and black crappie.
About 13% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.