Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 25, 2025
Species recorded at Big Cormorant Lake
16 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 Cormorant 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 Cormorant Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 25, 2025 caught 14.42 walleye per gill net at Big Cormorant Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–23 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Cormorant Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
21 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-25 (Targeted Survey).
21 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-25 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 22.48 | ||
| Rock Bass | 15.99 | 4–10 in 2025-08-25 | 0.44 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 14.43 | 7–15 in 2025-08-25 | 0.95 lb |
| Walleye | 12.67 | 7–23 in 2025-08-25 | 1.64 lb |
| Bluegill | 9.43 | 3–9 in 2025-08-25 | 0.3 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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.
Rock Bass
Largemouth Bass
Walleye
Bluegill
From the 2025-08-25 survey
Big Cormorant is a 3,657-acre lake located in southwestern Becker County. It is well-suited to Walleyes, which were reportedly introduced during the early part of the 20th century. A targeted fisheries survey using 12 gill nets was completed in August 2025 to assess the Walleye population of Big Cormorant Lake. Gill…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Cormorant Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Big CormorantFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Cormorant (1198)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Big CormorantFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big CormorantPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Big Cormorant Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 25, 2025 caught 14.42 walleye per gill net at Big Cormorant Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–23 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 16 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 Cormorant Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Big Cormorant Lake is dated August 25, 2025. 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 Cormorant Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Big Cormorant 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.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Big Cormorant Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Cormorant Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Big Cormorant Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Big Cormorant Lake
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