Sunshine

St. Louis County

Near Fredenberg

DOW: 69023500

Hybrid SunfishExcellent · 100Yellow PerchExcellent · 87Rock BassExcellent · 86

A 79-acre lake near Fredenberg in St. Louis County — best known for panfish and pike. Last surveyed 1991.

Fish Species (11)

Hybrid Sunfish

Excellent · 100

Above-normal numbers

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.26 lbs

Catch rate: 14.0 per trap net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	14.00	-	0.26 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 29, 1991	2.00	-	0.75 lbs	Standard gill nets

Yellow Perch

Excellent · 87

Above-normal numbers

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.23 lbs

Catch rate: 9.5 per gill net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	0.50	-	0.15 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 29, 1991	9.50	-	0.23 lbs	Standard gill nets

Rock Bass

Excellent · 86

Above-normal numbers

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.22 lbs

Catch rate: 1.3 per trap net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	1.25	-	0.22 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 29, 1991	3.50	-	0.23 lbs	Standard gill nets

Green Sunfish

Excellent · 80

Above-normal numbers

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.05 lbs

Catch rate: 0.5 per trap net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	0.50	-	0.05 lbs	Standard trap nets

Northern Pike

Good · 68

Typical numbers

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

6.53 lbs

Catch rate: 8.5 per gill net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	8.50	-	6.53 lbs	Standard gill nets
Aug 29, 1991	0.75	-	1.03 lbs	Standard trap nets

Walleye

Average · 45

Typical numbers

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.87 lbs

Catch rate: 1.5 per gill net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	1.50	-	0.87 lbs	Standard gill nets

Black Crappie

Average · 41

Typical numbers

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.35 lbs

Catch rate: 1.0 per trap net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	1.00	-	0.35 lbs	Standard trap nets

Pumpkinseed

Average · 30

Below-normal numbers

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.23 lbs

Catch rate: 0.75 per trap net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	0.75	-	0.23 lbs	Standard trap nets

Bluegill

Average · 30

Below-normal numbers

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.23 lbs

Catch rate: 6.0 per trap net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	6.00	-	0.23 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 29, 1991	18.50	-	0.23 lbs	Standard gill nets

Largemouth Bass

Insufficient

Trap-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

0.50 lbs

Catch rate: 0.25 per trap net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	0.25	-	0.50 lbs	Standard trap nets
Aug 29, 1991	4.50	-	0.39 lbs	Standard gill nets

Other species in this lake (1)

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

White Sucker

Good · 70

Typical numbers

Gill-net survey · surveyed Aug 1991

Last surveyed 1991 — treat with caution

Avg Weight

2.37 lbs

Catch rate: 1.5 per gill net

Survey History

Date	Catch Rate	Avg Length	Avg Weight	Gear
Aug 29, 1991	1.50	-	2.37 lbs	Standard gill nets

See the best hybrid sunfish 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

Northeast zone

Angling: 2 (not more than 1 over 40" in possession. All from 30-40" must be immediatley released).

Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass

Season: Mar 1, 2026 – May 8, 2026

Largemouth and smallmouth bass in the Northeast zone, north and east of US Hwy 53 from Duluth to International Falls and Pelican and Ash lakes in St. Louis County.

Catch-and-release only

Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass

Season: May 9, 2026 – Feb 28, 2027

Largemouth and smallmouth bass in the Northeast zone, north and east of US Hwy 53 from Duluth to International Falls and Pelican and Ash lakes in St. Louis County.

6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth

Crappie

10 combined total

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

Northeast zone

Darkhouse spearing: 2 (Not more than 1 over 26").

Rock Bass

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

no limit

Biologist Notes

August 29, 1991ALL FISH POPULATIONS SAMPLED IN SUNSHINE LAKE ARE NATURALLY REPRODUCING NOP GILLNET CATCH RATE OF 8.5 PER LIFT IS WELL ABOVE THE MEDIAN OF 2.7 PER LIF…

ALL FISH POPULATIONS SAMPLED IN SUNSHINE LAKE ARE NATURALLY REPRODUCING NOP GILLNET CATCH RATE OF 8.5 PER LIFT IS WELL ABOVE THE MEDIAN OF 2.7 PER LIFT FOR THIS LAKE CLASS. NOP SIZE STRUCTURE IS EXCELLENT WITH A MEAN LENGTH OF 24.1 INCHES AND 41% OF THE FISH IN OUR SAMPLE LONGER THAN 28.0 INCHES. NOP GROWTH RATES ARE CONSIDERABLY FASTER THAN THE AREA MEANS FOR ALL ANNULI, WITH FISH REACHING 25.0 INCHES IN LENGTH BY AGE III. ALTHOUGH LMB SIZE STRUCTURE FROM THE GILLNET SAMPLE WAS RELATIVELY POOR, REPORTS FROM RESIDENT ANGLERS INDICATE THE PRESENCE OF BASS LARGER THAN THREE POUNDS. LMB GROWTH RATES WERE SLOW, WITH FISH REACHING 12.0 INCHES IN LENGTH AT AGE VIII. YEP GILLNET CATCH RATES WERE THREE TIMES HIGHER THAN THE MEDIAN FOR THIS LAKE CLASS AND SIZE STRUCTURE WAS GOOD WITH MEAN LENGTH OF 8.8 INCHES AND 29% OF THE SAMPLED FISH LONGER THAN 10.0 INCHES. YEP EXHIBITED SLOW GROWTH, NOT REACHING 8.0 INCHES UNTIL AGE VII. BLG AND HSF CATCH RATES WERE BOTH WELL ABOVE MEDIAN FOR THIS LAKE CLASS. SIZE STRUCTURE FOR BLG SAMPLED IN BOTH GILL AND TRAPNETS WAS GOOD WITH A MEAN LENGTH OF 6.9 INCHES AND 82% OF THE FISH SAMPLED LONGER THAN 6.0 INCHES. HSF SIZE STRUCTURE WAS ALSO GOOD WITH A MEAN LENGTH OF 6.9 INCHES AND 88% OF THE FISH SAMPLED IN TRAPNETS LONGER THAN 6.0 INCHES. GROWTH RATES FOR BOTH BLG AND HSF WERE VERY SLOW. BLG DID NOT EXCEED 6.0 INCHES IN LENGTH UNTIL AGE IX, WHILE HSF EXCEEDED 6.0 INCHES DURING THEIR EIGHTH YEAR OF GROWTH.

Frequently Asked Questions

What fish can you catch in Sunshine?

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

Is there public access at Sunshine?

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

How deep is Sunshine?

Sunshine has a maximum depth of 37 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

When were the main sport fish in Sunshine last surveyed?

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Sunshine is from 1991. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

Does Sunshine have any invasive species?

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

Are there special fishing regulations on Sunshine?

No — Sunshine has no lake-specific regulations in the 2026 Minnesota DNR regulations, so statewide Minnesota limits apply. The statewide sunfish limit is: 20 combined total. Verify current rules with the Minnesota DNR before keeping fish.