Big Pine Lake
Pine County, Minnesota399 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Pine Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
Big Pine Lake in Pine County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 398.95 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 10, 2025 caught 0.44 walleye per trap net at Big Pine Lake. DNR survey details →
Big Pine Lake is a 399-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Pine County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet (15-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 14 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 2 other monitored lakes in Pine County, Big Pine Lake ranks #2 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-21. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Big Pine Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing14 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 17
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyRecreation use not supported
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 Pine Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Pine 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 Pine Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Big Pine Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 4.6 ft. Phosphorus 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 20 µg/L. TSI 54.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 4.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 19µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 20µg/L | Poor GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 54 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Big Pine Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Big Pine Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 69°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 71°F) and coldest in Sep (about 64°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (64°F) to its warmest (71°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 55 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Pine Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Big Pine Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was high (432,514 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 10, 2025 caught 0.44 walleye per trap net at Big Pine Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Pine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. 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: 2025-10-30 (Targeted Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2025-10-30 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 34.44 | 4–8 in 2025-06-10 | 0.11 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 22.79 | 7–19 in 2022-06-28 | 1.47 lb |
| Bluegill | 16.76 | 2–8 in 2025-06-10 | 0.2 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.30 | 7–10 in 2022-06-28 | 0.6 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.
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Black Bullhead
From the 2025-10-30 survey
Big Pine Lake is a 387-acre lake in northwestern Pine County located eleven miles northwest of Sandstone and is within the Kettle River Watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 25 ft and 35% of the lake is 15 feet or less (135 littoral acres). It is a steep sided narrow basin that lies in a northeast/southwest…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Pine 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 PineFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Pine (0343)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Big PineFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big PinePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Average depth
15 ft
Surface area
399 acres
Shoreline
5.8 mi
Littoral zone
34%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
25 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,079 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Pine Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Pine Lake in Pine 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. The water-quality readings cover nutrients and algae, not lodging. Cabins and rentals around Big Pine Lake are listed below.
Top-rated places to stay near Big Pine Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Pine Lake
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.77 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-2.1 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 17
Earliest Mar 11, 2024 · Latest May 2, 1975
Typical ice-in
Nov 23
Earliest Nov 3, 1991 · Latest Dec 14, 2004
Most recent ice-out
Apr 6
2025
89 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Big Pine 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, Recreation.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN58-0138-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Pine County
Frequently asked questions about Big Pine Lake
Where is Big Pine Lake?
- Big Pine Lake is a lake in Pine 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 Pine Lake?
- Big Pine Lake in Pine County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 4.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 19 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 20 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 398.95 acres.
Is Big Pine Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Big Pine Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury, nutrients (phosphorus, nitrogen). Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Big Pine Lake?
- Big Pine Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 55 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Pine Lake?
- Big Pine Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet and an average depth of 15 feet. The lake covers 398.95 acres.
What fish are in Big Pine Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Pine Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Big Pine Lake is located in Pine County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Pine Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on June 10, 2025 caught 0.44 walleye per trap net at Big Pine Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Pine Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Big Pine Lake thaw?
- Big Pine Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 17. Ice typically forms around Nov 23. The open water season is approximately 220 days.
Does Big Pine Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Big Pine Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was high (432,514 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Can I fish at Big Pine Lake?
- Public access to Big Pine 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 Pine Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
183 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
MNPCA183 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
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