Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest May 20, 2024
Big Bass Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Big Bass Lake average 6.54 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 11 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated May 20, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–16 inches. In Beltrami County, Minnesota, Big Bass Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 10.5 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at Big Bass Lake
11 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Big Bass Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Big Bass Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Big Bass Lake average 6.54 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 11 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated May 20, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–16 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Big Bass Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
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 catch rate (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 means more abundant in standardized sampling. This is not a weekly bite report.
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
Common questions
What fish are in Big Bass Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Big Bass Lake average 6.54 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 11 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated May 20, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 10–16 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 11 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Big Bass Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Big Bass Lake is dated May 20, 2024. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Big Bass Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Big Bass Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Big Bass Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Big Bass Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class — a lake can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Big Bass Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Big Bass Lake
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