Sweitzer

Sweitzer Lake is located in Hubbard County, four miles northeast of Park Rapids. Sweitzer Lake is a shallow, 93 acre lake with a maximum depth of only 10 feet. There is no public access on the lake. Due to its shallow depth, Sweitzer Lake is susceptible to an occasional winterkill, however, no winterkill events have been recorded for the lake. Sweitzer Lake provides fishing opportunities for northern pike and panfish.The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Sweitzer Lake is in lake class 37. Other area lakes in this same classification include: Brush, Claussens, Crow Wing, Deadhorse, Giles, Goose, Hay, Nelson, Round, and Shinker.Northern pike abundance (6.5 pike/gillnet) was within the range "typical" for this lake class. Sampled northern pike had an average weight of 2.5 pounds with pike measured up to 35.7 inches. Anglers will find a low to moderate panfish population in Sweitzer, comprised mainly of pumpkinseed, with very low numbers of bluegill and a sporadic black crappie population. Pumpkinseed abundance (3.2 pumpkinseed/trapnet) was within the range "typical" for this lake class. Bluegill and black crappie were sampled in very low numbers, with only one fish of each species sampled. Past surveys have sampled very few bluegills, while black crappie numbers were high in 1989, and absent in the other two surveys (1961 & 1975). While numbers of panfish might be low, anglers will find them of an acceptable size for angling (6-8 inches). Anglers will also find that the yellow perch are currently of an acceptable size for angling with perch in the 9-10 inch size range. Other species sampled include moderate numbers of brown bullhead, and low numbers of white sucker, black bullhead, yellow bullhead, rock bass, and hybrid sunfish. Largemouth bass were not sampled in 2005 and have only been sampled once in four surveys in Sweitzer in very low numbers (0.3 bass/trapnet, 1989).

The northern pike population is average for this area, but the size is small. There is a good population of crappie. The panfish numbers are below average for this area. Bullhead and sucker populations are above average.

Sweitzer Lake is a 93-acre, shallow lake located near Park Rapids, Minnesota. It has a maximum depth of only 10 feet and during winters of heavy snow cover it is in danger of oxygen depletion. Shoal water soils are mainly marl with some sand. Only about two percent of the lakes surface is covered by emergent vegetation. At the time of this survey there were one home and two boats located on this lake. Fishing pressure was very slight during the summer of 1961 and only an occasional boat was seen on this lake. During the winter of 1961-62, three fish houses were located on this lake. During test netting on this lake only sucker and northern pike wre taken in numbers greater than the statewide median. Other species taken were yellow and brown bullheads, yellow perch, walleyes, and pumpkinseeds.

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

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

Sweitzer has a maximum depth of 10 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Sweitzer is from 2005. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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