Big Bass Lake
Big Bass Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 336.99 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.5 ft
- Max depth
- 17 ft
- Area
- 337 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 22
- Open water
- 204 days
Next lake in Beltrami County
Big Bass Lake is a 337-acre mesotrophic lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 17 feet (9-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Beltrami County, Big Bass Lake ranks #34 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 10.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 44.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 44 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Big Bass Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Bass Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 17 ft |
| Average Depth | 9.2 ft |
| Surface Area | 337 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 93% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Big Bass LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Bass Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-05-20 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 43.33 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.54 | 1.08 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.39 | 2.44 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.59 | 0.12 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 4.63 | — |
| Pumpkinseed | 4.36 | 0.24 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Yellow Perch
From the 2024-05-20 survey
In spring 2021, a daily bag limit reduction for sunfish (5 fish/day) was implemented on Big Bass Lake as part of the statewide Quality Sunfish Initiative (QSI). The goal of this special regulation is to maintain or improve Bluegill size structure by reducing angler harvest. In order to evaluate effectiveness of the…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Bass Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Big Bass (east basin)Fisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Big Bass (east basin)Fish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big Bass (east basin)Public Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.053 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.74 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.45 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
Estimated open water season: 204 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2004-04-18 (2004) | 2008-04-26 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2003-11-07 (2003) | 2007-11-21 (2007) |
Most recent ice-out: 2008-04-26
EPA Impairment Status
Big Bass Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN04-0132-02 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (0.16 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #34 of 85 lakes in Beltrami County
Nearby Lakes in Beltrami County
Frequently asked questions about Big Bass Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Bass Lake?
- Big Bass Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 17 ft. Surface area: 336.99 acres.
Is Big Bass Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Big Bass Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Big Bass Lake?
- Big Bass Lake has a maximum depth of 17 feet and an average depth of 9.2 feet. The lake covers 336.99 acres.
What fish are in Big Bass Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Bass Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Big Bass Lake is located in Beltrami County, Minnesota.
When does Big Bass Lake thaw?
- Big Bass Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 22. Ice typically forms around Nov 12. The open water season is approximately 204 days.
Are there boat ramps on Big Bass Lake?
- Big Bass Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Big Bass Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Bass Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
87 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA87 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate