Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 22, 2024
Species recorded at Big Trout Lake
20 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 Trout Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Big Trout Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at Big Trout Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Trout Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
19 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-22 (Standard Survey).
19 surveys on file · most recent 2024-07-22 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 32.30 | ||
| Bluegill | 15.67 | 2–8 in 2024-07-22 | 0.09 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 13.02 | 6–13 in 2024-07-22 | 0.14 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
Tullibee (Cisco)
From the 2024-07-22 survey
Big trout is a 1,366 acre lake and is a part of the 14,000-acre Whitefish Chain of lakes in northern Crow Wing County. The maximum depth is 128 feet and 27% of the lake is 15 feet deep or less. On the east shore of the lake there is a U.S. Army Corps of Engineer's access off County Road 66. Big Trout is unique as it…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Big Trout 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 TroutFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Big Trout (0436)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Big TroutFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Big TroutPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Big Trout Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 22, 2024 caught 0.67 walleye per gill net at Big Trout Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 20 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 Trout Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Big Trout Lake is dated July 22, 2024. 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 Trout Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Big Trout Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Big Trout Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Big Trout Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, 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
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Big Trout Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Big Trout Lake
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