Big Stony Lake
Big Stony Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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.
- Clarity
- 9.8 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 24 ft
- Area
- 343 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 24
Next lake in Hubbard County
Big Stony Lake is a 343-acre mesotrophic lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 24 feet (10-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 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. 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. 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)
Moderate clarity, visible to about 9.8 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 4.5 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 43.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 9.8 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.5 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 43 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Big Stony Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 24 ft |
| Average Depth | 10 ft |
| Surface Area | 343 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5.2 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 65% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Stony LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Big Stony Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
12 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-01 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 140.61 | — |
| Bluegill | 32.14 | 0.14 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 11.40 | 0.45 lb |
| IOD | 11.05 | — |
| Black Bullhead | 6.99 | 0.52 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.31 | 0.18 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 Bass
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 3 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.187 m/yr | 3 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.25 µg/L/yr | 3 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.8 µg/L/yr | 3 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (6 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2025-04-14 (2025) | 2013-05-07 (2013) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-14
County Ranking
Ranked #47 of 68 lakes in Hubbard County
Nearby Lakes in Hubbard County
Frequently asked questions about Big Stony Lake
What is the water quality grade for Big Stony Lake?
- Big Stony Lake in Hubbard County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). 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?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Big Stony Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 4.5 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Big Stony Lake?
- Big Stony Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, 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.
When does Big Stony Lake thaw?
- Big Stony Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 24.
Are there boat ramps on Big Stony Lake?
- Big Stony Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Stony Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Big Stony Lake across LakeGrade
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
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Fish species and best lakes in Hubbard County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its grade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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More Minnesota Lake Rankings
Other Grade A Lakes in Minnesota
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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)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate