Big Fish Lake
Stearns County, Minnesota557 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Fish Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Oligotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- zebra mussel
- 70 ft max depth
- Public access
Big Fish Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 20 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 557.31 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2025 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Big Fish Lake. DNR survey details →
Big Fish Lake is a 557-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Stearns County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 70 feet (26-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 15 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 31 other monitored lakes in Stearns County, Big Fish Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-16. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Big Fish Lake covers about 560 acres in Stearns County. The median ice-out date is April 13, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Big Fish Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Big Fish Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water20 ft of visibility
- Fishing15 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 13
- Deep water70 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Fish Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Fish Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Big Fish Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Big Fish Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 20 ft down. Phosphorus 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 1.8 µg/L. TSI 35.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 20ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 9µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 1.8µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 35 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Big Fish Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Big Fish Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 63°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (63°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 28 field readings (2016–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Fish Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2025 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Big Fish Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Fish 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
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 87.34 | ||
| Bluegill | 43.89 | 3–8 in 2025-08-04 | 0.13 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.
Bluegill
From the 2025-08-04 survey
Big Fish Lake, located five miles north of Cold Spring in central Stearns County, is a scenic, clear water lake that offers a variety of angling and recreational opportunities. It has a maximum depth of 70 feet and a small watershed with a high percentage of undeveloped forest and grassland and a modest amount of…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Fish 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 FishFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Fish (0282)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Big FishFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big FishPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
70 ft
Average depth
26.4 ft
Surface area
557 acres
Shoreline
5.9 mi
Littoral zone
33%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
7 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,188 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Fish Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Fish Lake in Stearns 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Fish Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Fish Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.04 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.05 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 13
Earliest Mar 19, 2012 · Latest May 9, 2013
Typical ice-in
Dec 3
Earliest Nov 21, 1996 · Latest Dec 21, 1998
Most recent ice-out
Apr 26
2014
40 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Big Fish Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0106-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Big Fish Lake
Where is Big Fish Lake?
- Big Fish Lake is a lake in Stearns County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Big Fish Lake?
- Big Fish Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 20 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 70 ft. Surface area: 557.31 acres.
Is Big Fish Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Fish Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Big Fish Lake?
- Big Fish Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 28 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2016–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Fish Lake?
- Big Fish Lake has a maximum depth of 70 feet and an average depth of 26.4 feet. The lake covers 557.31 acres.
What fish are in Big Fish Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Fish Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Big Fish Lake is located in Stearns County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Fish Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2025 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Big Fish Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Fish 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.
When does Big Fish Lake thaw?
- Big Fish Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 13. Ice typically forms around Dec 3. The open water season is approximately 234 days.
Can I fish at Big Fish Lake?
- Public access to Big Fish Lake is listed as yes on the lake record. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Big Fish Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Stearns County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Compare Big Fish Lake With Nearby Lakes
Where this data comes from
83 measurements from 3 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA83 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 (3)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate