Today's Best Fishing Times
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We want to see what you've caught on Big Island Lake.Frequently Asked Questions About Big Island Lake, MN
- How big is Big Island Lake?
- How deep is Big Island Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Big Island Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Big Island Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Big Island Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Big Island Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Big Island Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Big Island Lake?
How big is Big Island Lake?
How deep is Big Island Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Big Island Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include White Sucker.
Are there places to stay in the Big Island Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Big Island Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Big Island Lake?
Explore the Big Island Lake area in a RV
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History & Status of the Fishery
Big Island Lake is a 238 acre lake located in the Chippewa National Forest north of Grand Rapids, MN. The lake has a maximum depth of 42 feet and a littoral area of 202 acres. The public access (U.S. Forest Service) is located on the northwest side of the lake. Big Island is best known for its panfish and bass fishing. Northern pike abundance is high with a gill net catch of 11.0/set in this survey. Catch rates have been above the median in most past assessments. Size structure was moderate. Growth of the northern pike sampled was slower than the statewide averages. The bluegill trap net catch rate was 12.8/set, above the median. Size structure was poor with none sampled over 7.5 inches. They ranged in length from 3.2 to 7.3 inches and had a mean length of 4.9 inches. High numbers (21.5/set) were observed in the gill net. This is the highest observed of any past assessment on Big Island. The size structure was similar to what was observed in the trap net. Bluegill growth rates were similar to the lake class #35 averages. The black crappie trap net catch rate was 2.2/set in this survey compared to the lake class range of 0.7-4.3/set. The gill net catch rate of 2.7/set was below the median of 4.2/set and within the lake class range of 1-10.5/set. The gill net sampled crappie ranged in length from 5.4 to 12.3 and had a mean length of 8.2 inches. The trap net sampled crappie ranged in length from 5.1 to 11.7 inches and had a mean length of 9.1 inches. Growth rates were <85% of the statewide averages. Yellow perch, typically low in abundance in Big Island, were again sampled well below the lake class median at 5.0/gill net. The fish sampled were of similar size ranging from 5.8 to 6.9 inches and had a mean length of 6.2 inches. Largemouth bass were not sampled in the trap nets but were sampled at 1.2/gill net. Spring night electrofishing was conducted on 5/20/2005 as part of this survey. Spring electrofishing has been shown to more effectively sample bass than conventional test netting. Results from this survey indicate a good population of largemouth with a catch of 38.4/hour. The 52 largemouth sampled ranged in length from 4.4 to 18.4 inches with a mean length of 11.6 inches. Size structure was good with a PSD of 47 and an RSD-P (15 inches) of 20. Walleye, never sampled in any past survey, were sampled at 0.5/gill net. Walleye were stocked only once in 1986 as fry. Another species never sampled prior to this survey was smallmouth bass. Six (1.0/set) were sampled in the gill net and 2 (0.2/set) were sampled in the trap net. The smallmouth in the gill net ranged in length from 15.7 to 18.4 inches and had a mean length of 16.7 inches. Natural reproduction was evident with two sampled in the trap net at 5.3 inches and 6.3 inches. Both were aged at 2 years old. An angler noted that he had caught several in recent years and suspected the fish were illegally introduced from nearby Three Island Lake.
What is the average air temp for Big Island Lake?
Are there any state parks near Big Island Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Big Island Lake...DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
Crooked Lake | 0.8 mi | 134 | 46 ft |
Big Ole Lake | 1.0 mi | 217 | 65 ft |
Three Island Lake | 1.2 mi | 250 | 66 ft |
McKewen Lake | 1.5 mi | 26 | 31 ft |
Dock Lake | 1.8 mi | 30 | 40 ft |
Smith Lake | 2.0 mi | 209 | 32 ft |
Baldy Lake | 2.1 mi | 24 | 47 ft |
East Smith Lake | 2.2 mi | 152 | 38 ft |
Pine Lake | 2.2 mi | 74 | 44 ft |
Little Smith Lake | 2.4 mi | 40 | 35 ft |