Big Fish Lake
Big Fish Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 20 ft
- Typical in August
- 75°F
- Max depth
- 70 ft
- Area
- 557 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 13
- Open water
- 234 days
Next lake in Stearns County
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). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. 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. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 20 ft down. Phosphorus level: 9 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 35.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 20 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 9 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 35 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay 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
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Water Temperature
Big Fish Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 70 ft |
| Average Depth | 26.4 ft |
| Surface Area | 557 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.9 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 33% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-04 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 87.34 | — |
| BCS | 49.25 | — |
| Bluegill | 43.89 | 0.13 lb |
| OTM | 37.00 | — |
| BNS | 34.98 | — |
| BKF | 14.78 | — |
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
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.124 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.05 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (40 observations).
Estimated open water season: 234 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-19 (2012) | 2013-05-09 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1996-11-21 (1996) | 1998-12-21 (1998) |
Most recent ice-out: 2014-04-26
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN73-0106-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 32 lakes in Stearns County
Nearby Lakes in Stearns County
Frequently asked questions about Big Fish Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Fish Lake?
- Big Fish Lake in Stearns County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Big Fish Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Big Fish Lake?
- Big Fish Lake typically sits around 75°F at the surface in August, 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.
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.
Explore Big Fish 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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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)
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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate