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Frequently Asked Questions About Big Lake, MN
- How big is Big Lake?
- How deep is Big Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Big Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Big Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Big Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Big Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Big Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Big Lake?
How big is Big Lake?
How deep is Big Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Big Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Common Shiner, Golden Shiner and White Sucker.
Are there places to stay in the Big Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Big Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Big Lake?
Explore the Big Lake area in a RV
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Adventure Awaits in the 2021 Heartland Mallard Pathfinder P16SRD
Hermantown, MN
History & Status of the Fishery
Big Lake is located approximately 12 miles NW of Ely in the Superior National Forest. This scenic lake has rocky shorelines with ledgerock points and the surrounding forest is primarliy coniferous with large pines. There are several campsites surrounding the lake and 2 resorts can be found on the N side. A concrete boat ramp is located on the N side off the Echo Trail (CR116) for public access.
White sucker dominated the gill net catch (50%) in the 2014 population assessment. Yellow perch (26%) and walleye (19%) were also common. Northern pike, smallmouth bass, black crappie and rock bass were sampled in low numbers. Walleye dominated the trap net catch (60%). White sucker (27%) were common and northern pike, black crappie and rock bass were sampled in low numbers.
White sucker numbers in 2014 (18.0/gill net) were slightly lower than the long term average (19.3/gill net) for all assessments on this lake. The average sucker was 17.5 inches long which was similar to past assessments.
Yellow perch numbers in 2014 (9.1/gill net) were slightly above average (8.3/gill net) for this lake. Perch averaged 8.0 inches long similar to past assessments. The largest perch sampled in the gill nets was 11.3 inches long.
Walleye abundance in 2014 (6.9/gill net) was average (6.8/gill net) for this lake. Walleye averaged 13.1 inches long in the gill nets and about 4 years old. Walleye numbers from the trap nets (7.7/net) were average compared to past assessments. The largest walleye sampled from both gear types was 23.7 inches long. Walleye fry are stocked every three years with the last stocking in 2013.
Northern pike numbers in 2014 (1.2/gill net) were average compared to past assessments. Pike sizes averaged 22.3 inches and the largest pike sampled was 29.9 inches long.
Smallmouth bass abundance in 2014 (0.4/gill net) was similar to past surveys. The largest smallmouth sampled was 17 inches long.
Black crappie numbers in 2014 (0.3/trap net) were relatively low. Most crappie were around 9 inches long.
Rock bass numbers in 2014 were relatively low from both gear types. The average rock bass sampled was 7.0 inches and the largest was 10.1 inches long.
What is the average air temp for Big Lake?
Are there any state parks near Big 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 Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Duck Lake | 2.1 mi | 119 | 5 ft |
| Agassa Lake | 2.5 mi | 72 | 9 ft |
| Ed Shave Lake | 2.6 mi | 90 | 17 ft |
| Big Rice Lake | 2.9 mi | 403 | 5 ft |
| Hook Lake | 3.6 mi | 82 | 13 ft |
| Slim Lake | 4.3 mi | 312 | 49 ft |
| North Hegman Lake | 4.3 mi | 70 | 30 ft |
| Rice Lake | 4.3 mi | 34 | 27 ft |
| Big Moose Lake | 4.4 mi | 1,025 | 23 ft |
| South Hegman Lake | 4.5 mi | 118 | 55 ft |
