Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 24, 2023
Big Sand Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Big Sand Lake average 14.21 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 15 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 24, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–30 inches. In Hubbard County, Minnesota, Big Sand Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 23.0 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at Big Sand 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 Sand Lake
No stocking record for Big Sand Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Big Sand Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Big Sand Lake average 14.21 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 15 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 24, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–30 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Big Sand Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
15 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-07-24 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 58.69 | — |
| White Sucker | 17.91 | 1.88 lb |
| Walleye | 14.21 | 1.59 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This 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.
Bluntnose Minnow
White Sucker
Walleye
From the 2023-07-24 survey
Big Sand Lake is located seven miles northeast of Park Rapids in central Hubbard County. Big Sand has a surface area of 1,635 acres and a maximum depth of 135 feet. A state owned public access is located on the south shore of the lake off Grouse Road, next to the outlet of the Sand River. Access with small boats is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Sand 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 SandFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Sand (1289)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big SandPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Big Sand Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Big Sand Lake average 14.21 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 15 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 24, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 7–30 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 Sand Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Big Sand Lake is dated July 24, 2023. 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 Sand Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Big Sand Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Big Sand Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Big Sand Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
A water-quality grade is 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 can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
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