Sylvia

Beltrami County

Near Debs

DOW: 04032200

Northern PikeGood · 69WalleyeGood · 67PumpkinseedGood · 62

A 181-acre lake near Debs in Beltrami County — best known for pike and walleye. Last surveyed 1979.

Fish Species (9)

Northern Pike

Good · 69

Below-normal numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1979

Last surveyed 1979 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

4.64 lbs

Catch rate: 2.0 per gill net · typical 3.5–10.5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1979	2.00	-	4.64 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 29, 1979	0.50	-	5.38 lbs	Standard trap nets

Walleye

Good · 67

Typical numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1979

Last surveyed 1979 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

5.19 lbs

Catch rate: 2.0 per gill net · typical 1.3–5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1979	2.00	-	5.19 lbs	Standard gill nets

Pumpkinseed

Good · 62

Above-normal numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1979

Last surveyed 1979 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.09 lbs

Catch rate: 13.3 per trap net · typical 2–8.5 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1979	2.50	-	0.22 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 29, 1979	13.25	-	0.09 lbs	Standard trap nets

Rock Bass

Good · 62

Above-normal numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1979

Last surveyed 1979 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.12 lbs

Catch rate: 17.0 per trap net · typical 0.5–1.8 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1979	17.00	-	0.12 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 29, 1979	7.50	-	0.09 lbs	Standard gill nets

Yellow Perch

Good · 53

Typical numbers · average-size fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1979

Last surveyed 1979 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.15 lbs

Catch rate: 13.5 per gill net · typical 3.4–43.6 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1979	4.00	-	0.09 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 29, 1979	13.50	-	0.15 lbs	Standard gill nets

Largemouth Bass

Good · 50

Average-size fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1979

Last surveyed 1979 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.50 lbs

Catch rate: 10.8 per trap net · typical 0.3–1.3 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1979	10.75	-	0.50 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 29, 1979	1.50	-	0.83 lbs	Standard gill nets

Bluegill

Average · 36

Typical numbers · small fish

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1979

Last surveyed 1979 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.08 lbs

Catch rate: 6.3 per trap net · typical 6.1–46.6 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1979	6.25	-	0.08 lbs	Standard trap nets

Other species in this lake (2)

Rough fish, bullheads, and baitfish recorded in DNR surveys — present in the lake, but not typical angling targets.

White Sucker

Good · 67

Above-normal numbers · small fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1979

Last surveyed 1979 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.98 lbs

Catch rate: 8.0 per gill net · typical 0.5–2.7 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1979	8.00	-	0.98 lbs	Standard gill nets

Golden Shiner

Good · 60

Typical numbers · large fish

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1979

Last surveyed 1979 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.10 lbs

Catch rate: 0.5 per gill net · typical 0.2–1.2 for a lake like this

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1979	0.50	-	0.10 lbs	Standard gill nets

See the best northern pike lakes in Minnesota

Fishing Regulations

Statewide limits

Standard statewide Minnesota limits for the species in this lake.

Walleye and Sauger

Season: May 9, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

6 combined, not more than one walleye over 20"

Northern Pike

Season: May 9, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

North-central zone

Angling: 10 (not more than 2 over 26". All from 22-26" must be immediatley released).

Largemouth Bass

Season: Mar 1, 2026 – May 22, 2026

Largemouth bass in the Southern and North-central zones

Catch-and-release only

Largemouth Bass

Season: May 23, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

Largemouth bass in the Southern and North-central zones

6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth (when smallmouth season is open)

Sunfish

20 combined total

Perch

20 daily and 40 in possession

More statewide rules (spearing, rough fish)

Northern Pike

Season: Nov 15, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

North-central zone

Darkhouse spearing: 10 (only 1 between 22-26" and 1 over 26"; or, only 2 over 26").

Rock Bass

Bowfin, buffalo, carp, carpsuckers, freshwater drum, goldeneye, redhorse, and suckers

no limit

Biologist Notes

August 29, 1979Walleye, Yel Perch and N Pike pop. are about 1/2 of the cty mean and only lrg sized fish were capt. The LM Bass pop. is about 20 times lrgr than the c…

Walleye, Yel Perch and N Pike pop. are about 1/2 of the cty mean and only lrg sized fish were capt. The LM Bass pop. is about 20 times lrgr than the cty mean. Bluegill and Pumpkinseed pop.s are 6 & 9 times respectively lrgr than the cty mean. The Rock Bass pop. is 8 times larger than the cty mean

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish can you catch in Sylvia?

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Northern Pike, Walleye, Pumpkinseed, Rock Bass, and Yellow Perch in Sylvia. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Is there public access at Sylvia?

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Sylvia. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

How deep is Sylvia?

Sylvia has a maximum depth of 38 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

When were the main sport fish in Sylvia last surveyed?

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Sylvia is from 1979. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

Does Sylvia have any invasive species?

No invasive species are on record for Sylvia in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.

Are there special fishing regulations on Sylvia?

No — Sylvia has no lake-specific regulations in the 2026 Minnesota DNR regulations, so statewide Minnesota limits apply. The statewide walleye and sauger limit is: 6 combined, not more than one walleye over 20". Verify current rules with the Minnesota DNR before keeping fish.