Big Stony Lake
Hubbard County, Minnesota343 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Big Stony Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 24 ft max depth
- Public access
Big Stony Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 343.38 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 7.56 walleye per gill net at Big Stony Lake. DNR survey details →
Big Stony Lake is a 343-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet (10-foot average). Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in Hubbard County, Big Stony Lake ranks #47 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Big Stony Lake covers about 340 acres in Hubbard County. The median ice-out date is April 24, which is when the open-water season begins. Vrbo is where to look for cabins and lake homes around Big Stony Lake, and Booking.com and Expedia search hotels near the lake for your dates.
What Big Stony Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water9.8 ft of visibility
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 24
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. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Big Stony 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 Stony Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Big Stony Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft. Phosphorus 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.5 µg/L. TSI 43.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 9.8ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 12µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.5µg/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. | 43 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Big Stony Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Big Stony Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 77°F) and coldest in May (about 57°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (57°F) to its warmest (77°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 19 field readings (2011–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Big Stony Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 7.56 walleye per gill net at Big Stony Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Stony Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 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: 2022-08-01 (Standard Survey).
12 surveys on file · most recent 2022-08-01 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 140.61 | ||
| Bluegill | 32.14 | 3–7 in 2022-08-01 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 11.40 | 6–11 in 2022-08-01 | 0.45 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 6.99 | 10 in 2017-07-31 | 0.52 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.31 | 3–7 in 2022-08-01 | 0.18 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
Yellow Bullhead
Black Bullhead
Pumpkinseed
From the 2022-08-01 survey
Big Stony is located in southern Hubbard County, seven miles south-east of Park Rapids. Big Stony has a surface area of 343 acres and a maximum depth of 24 feet. A DNR owned public access is located on the west shore of the lake. Big Stony provides angling opportunities for Walleye, Largemouth Bass and panfish. The…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Stony 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 StonyFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Stony (1271)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Big StonyFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big StonyPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
24 ft
Average depth
10 ft
Surface area
343 acres
Shoreline
5.2 mi
Littoral zone
65%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
13 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,385 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Big Stony Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Big Stony Lake in Hubbard 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 Stony 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 Stony Lake
Water quality readings over time
3 seasons of samples on record (2021–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening3 years
Phosphorus
Worsening+1.25 µg/L/yr3 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+0.8 µg/L/yr3 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 24
Earliest Apr 14, 2025 · Latest May 7, 2013
Most recent ice-out
Apr 14
2025
6 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Big Stony Lake
Where is Big Stony Lake?
- Big Stony Lake is a lake in Hubbard 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 Stony Lake?
- Big Stony Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 9.8 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 24 ft. Surface area: 343.38 acres.
Is Big Stony Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Big Stony Lake?
- Big Stony Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 19 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Big Stony Lake?
- Big Stony Lake has a maximum depth of 24 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 343.38 acres.
What fish are in Big Stony Lake?
- Fish species found in Big Stony Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Big Stony Lake is located in Hubbard County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Big Stony Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 1, 2022 caught 7.56 walleye per gill net at Big Stony Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Stony Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 3 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Big Stony Lake thaw?
- Big Stony Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 24.
Can I fish at Big Stony Lake?
- Public access to Big Stony 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 Stony 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 Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Top lakes and where to stay in the Park Rapids Area area
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Other Lakes in Minnesota
Mesotrophic Lakes in Minnesota
Where this data comes from
42 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2021–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA42 samples · 2021–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate