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6,876-acre lake near Cook County. The lake tops out around 280 ft. The chart is a model: real shoreline, published maximum depth, interpolated in between. A planning tool, never a navigation product. Here is how the season plays out for each species, straight from the data behind the map.
Traced from the shoreline, Saganaga runs 6,932 acres with 103.7 miles of edge, with 43 islands in the mix. A development index of 8.9 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. The shallow band under 15 ft claims about 46% of the surface on the model — that's where the groceries are. Figure 8.9 mi of water from one end to the other, 5.3 mi at the beam. You'll find it in Cook County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Roy, 2 mi south of here.
In spring, lake trout run shallow here, mostly 10 to 40 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 50 to 120 ft before dropping to 20 to 80 ft for winter. Fall lake trout concentrate at Rock reef, a prime-rated rock pile around 12 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a white tube jig (deep) or a magnum spoon on downrigger most summer days.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Rock reef (12 ft) | Casting spoon over shoals, Jerkbait (shallow) |
| Summer | 50 to 120 ft | dawn | Break off the point (126 ft) | White tube jig (deep), Magnum spoon on downrigger |
| Fall | 10 to 50 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (12 ft) | Heavy casting spoon, Jigging rap over reefs |
| Winter | 20 to 80 ft | dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | White tube jig, Airplane jig |
Spring lake whitefish on Saganaga hold shallow, usually 15 to 45 ft. They move out to 40 to 90 ft in summer and finish the year down in 25 to 70 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 12 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a blade bait vertical or a small jigging spoon.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 15 to 45 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Small jig + waxworm, Blade bait (small) |
| Summer | 40 to 90 ft | dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Blade bait vertical, Small jigging spoon |
| Fall | 8 to 30 ft | dusk | Rock reef (12 ft) | Small spoon (gold), Jig + plastic larva |
| Winter | 25 to 70 ft | midday & dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Jigging spoon + bead chain, Tungsten jig + waxie |
Spring cisco (lake herring) on Saganaga hold shallow, usually 10 to 40 ft. They move out to 40 to 80 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 60 ft. Put Rock reef first on the milk run — a rock pile near 12 ft that grades prime for fall. The feeding windows run early morning. The summer box starts with a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Offshore hump (14 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 40 to 80 ft | dawn | open water | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (12 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 4 to 15 ft. By summer they slide out to 15 to 35 ft, and by winter most fish are in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Sharp break: a drop-off around 21 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Rock reef (12 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Offshore hump (14 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Sharp break (21 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
When the water first warms, yellow perch slide up into 3 to 12 ft. Summer is a 10 to 30 ft game here, winter a 15 to 35 ft one. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 6 ft of water and rates prime come spring. The feeding windows run early morning. Keep a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Sharp break (21 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Sharp break (21 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Offshore hump (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: northern pike in 2 to 8 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 8 to 20 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 6 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Sharp break (21 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (6 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Saganaga also holds smallmouth bass (10 to 30 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), burbot (50 to 120 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
17 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 238 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Saganaga specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Saganaga is about 280 ft (85 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target lake trout, lake whitefish, cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, crappie, pumpkinseed, burbot on Saganaga.
Rock reef is the top-rated area: a rock pile in about 12 ft of water that rates prime for lake whitefish in fall. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For lake trout, the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Saganaga is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Roy 2 mi · Tenor 3 mi · Grandpa 3 mi · Morris 3 mi · Gull 3 mi · Larry 3 mi · Reward 4 mi · Prayer 4 mi · Red Rock 4 mi · Ambush 4 mi · Maraboeuf Lake 5 mi, ON/MN · Sea Gull 5 mi
See how Saganaga stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Cook County fishing maps (351 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.