Big Ole Lake
Big Ole Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 21.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 216.95 acres.
- Clarity
- 21.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 61°F
- Max depth
- 65 ft
- Area
- 217 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Big Ole Lake is a 217-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 65 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2021. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Big Ole Lake ranks #35 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2021-09-22. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
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 21.8 ft down. Phosphorus level: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 1.6 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 33.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 21.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 7 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 1.6 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 33 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Big Ole Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Ole Lake in Itasca 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 Ole Lake
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Water Temperature
Big Ole Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 59°F. Usually warmest in Aug (about 61°F) and coldest in May (about 52°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 75 field readings (2021–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Ole Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 65 ft |
| Surface Area | 217 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 39% |
| 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 Ole Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2001-07-09 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 43.58 | 0.15 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.27 | 0.14 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.83 | 1.41 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.98 | 0.56 lb |
| WAM | 1.70 | 0.18 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.61 | 0.22 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
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
From the 2001-07-09 survey
Big Ole Lake is a 179-acre lake in central Itasca County within the Big Fork River watershed. Big Ole is located approximately 4 miles southeast of Marcell, MN. The lake has a maximum depth of 65 ft and 84 littoral acres. A forest service carry-down access is located on the northeast shoreline. Northern pike gill-net…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Ole 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 OleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Ole (0722)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big OlePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
County Ranking
Ranked #35 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Big Ole Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Ole Lake?
- Big Ole Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 21.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 7 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 1.6 µg/L. Maximum depth: 65 ft. Surface area: 216.95 acres.
Is Big Ole Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Big Ole Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 1.6 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Big Ole Lake?
- Big Ole Lake typically sits around 61°F at the surface in August, from 75 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2021–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Ole Lake?
- Big Ole Lake has a maximum depth of 65 feet. The lake covers 216.95 acres.
What fish are in Big Ole Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Ole Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, warmouth, yellow perch. Big Ole Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Explore Big Ole Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
17 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA17 samples · 2021
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder