Lake Winnibigoshish
Cass County, Minnesota56,471 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Lake Winnibigoshish. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- zebra mussel
- 70 ft max depth
- Public access
Lake Winnibigoshish in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 69.8 ft. Surface area: 56471.4 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on April 16, 2025 caught 6.06 walleye per gill net at Lake Winnibigoshish. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–25 inches. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Lake Winnibigoshish, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 70 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Lake Winnibigoshish is a 56,471-acre mesotrophic lake in Cass County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 70 feet (15-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 20 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 6 public boat landings. Compared to the 103 other monitored lakes in Cass County, Lake Winnibigoshish ranks #98 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-14. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
At about 56,000 acres, Lake Winnibigoshish is large enough that where you stay decides which shore you see most of. It has 6 public boat landings, so a lakefront rental is not the only way to get a boat on the water. The median ice-out date is April 27, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Lake Winnibigoshish on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Lake Winnibigoshish is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water12.1 ft of visibility
- Boat launch6 documented ramps
- Fishing20 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 27
- Deep water69.8 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water56,471 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyModerate 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 Lake Winnibigoshish 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 Lake Winnibigoshish
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Lake Winnibigoshish, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 12.1 ft. Phosphorus 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 5.2 µg/L. TSI 47.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 12.1ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 29µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 5.2µg/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. | 47 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Lake Winnibigoshish
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Lake Winnibigoshish typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 66°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 49°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (49°F) to its warmest (69°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 240 field readings (2024–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Lake Winnibigoshish water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on April 16, 2025 caught 6.06 walleye per gill net at Lake Winnibigoshish. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–25 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Winnibigoshish’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
39 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-04-16 (Standard Survey).
39 surveys on file · most recent 2025-04-16 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 219.08 | 1–11 in 2025-04-16 | 0.19 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 109.89 | ||
| Bluntnose Minnow | 22.18 | ||
| Walleye | 20.42 | 1–25 in 2025-04-16 | 1.19 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
Walleye
From the 2025-04-16 survey
Lake Winnibigoshish, otherwise known as Winnie or Big Winnie, is a large reservoir located immediately north of the community of Bena, Minnesota. Winnie was a natural lake that was impounded in the 1880's with a dam controlled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers (USACE). Today the USACE maintains water levels within a…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lake Winnibigoshish. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WinnibigoshishFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Winnibigoshish (0702)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WinnibigoshishFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WinnibigoshishPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
69.8 ft
Average depth
15.1 ft
Surface area
56,471 acres
Shoreline
69.8 mi
Littoral zone
33%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Recreation & Access
- Lake Winnibigoshish (West)Public
- Richards TownsitePublic
- Becker's Resort and CampgroundSemi-private
- Four Seasons ResortSemi-private
- Denny's ResortSemi-private
- Nodak Lodge and ResortSemi-private
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Lake Winnibigoshish
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Lake Winnibigoshish in Cass 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 Lake Winnibigoshish
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 trip? Cabins and lodging at Lake Winnibigoshish → · more Minnesota lake trips
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Lake Winnibigoshish
- → Lake Winnibigoshish fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Lake Winnibigoshish fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Lake Winnibigoshish fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Lake Winnibigoshish? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water quality readings over time
2 seasons of samples on record (2024–2025). Calling a direction takes at least 4 years of the same measurement.
Water clarity
Worsening2 years
Phosphorus
Improving-2.5 µg/L/yr2 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.2 µg/L/yr2 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 27
Earliest Mar 30, 2012 · Latest May 17, 2013
Most recent ice-out
Apr 29
2025
32 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Reservoir Info (USACE NID)
Lake Winnibigoshish is a man-made reservoir impounded by the Winnibigoshish Dam - Dike 1 (completed 1884), built primarily for water supply on the MISSISSIPPI RIVER; earth-type dam, 5 ft tall and 50 ft long.
- Surface area
- 68,000 ac
- Normal storage
- 220,000 ac-ft
- Max storage
- 550,000 ac-ft
- Drainage area
- 1,442 sq mi
- Hazard class
- Significant
- Owner
- USACE - St. Paul District
All listed purposes: Water Supply;Navigation;Fish and Wildlife Pond;Recreation;Flood Risk Reduction.
Source: USACE National Inventory of Dams, NID ID MN00586 · Operator website
Nearby Lakes in Cass County
Frequently asked questions about Lake Winnibigoshish
Where is Lake Winnibigoshish?
- Lake Winnibigoshish is a lake in Cass County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Lake Winnibigoshish?
- Lake Winnibigoshish in Cass County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 12.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 29 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 69.8 ft. Surface area: 56471.4 acres.
Is Lake Winnibigoshish 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 Lake Winnibigoshish?
- Lake Winnibigoshish typically sits around 58°F at the surface in October, from 240 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2024–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Lake Winnibigoshish?
- Lake Winnibigoshish has a maximum depth of 69.8 feet and an average depth of 15.1 feet. The lake covers 56471.4 acres.
What fish are in Lake Winnibigoshish?
- Fish species found in Lake Winnibigoshish include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, muskellunge, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, silver redhorse, sunfish, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Lake Winnibigoshish is located in Cass County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Lake Winnibigoshish?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on April 16, 2025 caught 6.06 walleye per gill net at Lake Winnibigoshish. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 1–25 inches. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Lake Winnibigoshish’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Lake Winnibigoshish thaw?
- Lake Winnibigoshish typically has ice-out around Apr 27.
Are there boat ramps on Lake Winnibigoshish?
- Lake Winnibigoshish has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Lake Winnibigoshish (West), Richards Townsite, Becker's Resort and Campground, Four Seasons Resort, among others. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Lake Winnibigoshish?
- Lake Winnibigoshish has 6 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. 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 Lake Winnibigoshish 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 Cass County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
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Where this data comes from
46 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2024–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX46 samples · 2024–2025
Analytical methods
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
- Nitrate-Nitrite Nitrogen by Colorimetry
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 details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate