Little Winnibigoshish Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota1,002 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Winnibigoshish Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Eutrophic
- zebra mussel
- 28 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Winnibigoshish Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 1001.62 acres.
Free interactive depth-contour map of Little Winnibigoshish Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 30 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Little Winnibigoshish Lake is a 1,002-acre productive, nutrient-rich eutrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 28 feet. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Little Winnibigoshish Lake ranks #63 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-23. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Little Winnibigoshish Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Fishing16 species recorded
- Big water1,002 acres
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
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 Little Winnibigoshish 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 Little Winnibigoshish Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Winnibigoshish 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 8.4 ft. Phosphorus 32 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 10.5 µg/L. TSI 51.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 8.4ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 32µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 10.5µg/L | Fair GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 51 | Eutrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
High nutrients, frequent algae, reduced clarity
Ask about Little Winnibigoshish Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Winnibigoshish Lake typically sits around 50°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 70°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 74°F) and coldest in Oct (about 50°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (50°F) to its warmest (74°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 49 field readings (2025–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Winnibigoshish Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
Max depth
28 ft
Surface area
1,002 acres
Shoreline
5.8 mi
Littoral zone
21%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
1,507 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,273 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Winnibigoshish Lake
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Winnibigoshish Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Little Winnibigoshish Lake
Where is Little Winnibigoshish Lake?
- Little Winnibigoshish Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Winnibigoshish Lake?
- Little Winnibigoshish Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 8.4 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 32 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 10.5 µg/L. Maximum depth: 28 ft. Surface area: 1001.62 acres.
Is Little Winnibigoshish 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 Little Winnibigoshish Lake?
- Little Winnibigoshish Lake typically sits around 50°F at the surface in October, from 49 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2025–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Winnibigoshish Lake?
- Little Winnibigoshish Lake has a maximum depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 1001.62 acres.
What fish are in Little Winnibigoshish Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Winnibigoshish Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Little Winnibigoshish Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Can I fish at Little Winnibigoshish Lake?
- Public access to Little Winnibigoshish 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.
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Compare Little Winnibigoshish Lake With Nearby Lakes
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Itasca County · 16 ft
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Itasca County · 6.6 ft
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Where this data comes from
24 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe
LEECHLAK_WQX24 samples · 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 size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder