(2)Today's Best Fishing Times
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Big Sandy Lake is known for its excellent fishing, particularly for walleye, northern pike, and bass, which are all prized game fish. The lake is also home to a variety of other fish species, such as muskie, crappie, and sunfish, making it a popular spot for anglers.
In addition to fishing, Big Sandy Lake offers a variety of other recreational opportunities, such as boating, swimming, and hiking. The lake has several public boat ramps and marinas, as well as several beaches for swimming and sunbathing. The surrounding Big Sandy Lake State Park has several hiking trails, picnic areas, and camping facilities for visitors to enjoy.
The lake and its surrounding area are also rich in cultural and historical significance. The area was historically inhabited by the Ojibwe people, and several Ojibwe communities still reside in the area. The park has several historical sites and museums that commemorate the area's logging history, including a logging camp and a museum dedicated to the life of a legendary Minnesota lumberjack named Paul Bunyan.
Overall, Big Sandy Lake is a beautiful and diverse destination that offers a wide range of recreational opportunities and natural attractions for visitors to enjoy. Whether you are an angler, boater, hiker, or history enthusiast, Big Sandy Lake and the surrounding state park have something for everyone to enjoy.
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Frequently Asked Questions About Big Sandy Lake, MN
- How big is Big Sandy Lake?
- How deep is Big Sandy Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Big Sandy Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Big Sandy Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Big Sandy Lake area?
- Are there topographical lake maps available Big Sandy Lake?
- Are there boat launches on Big Sandy Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Big Sandy Lake?
- What are the fishing regulations for Big Sandy Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Big Sandy Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Big Sandy Lake?
How big is Big Sandy Lake?
How deep is Big Sandy Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Big Sandy Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Blackchin Shiner, Cisco (Tullibee), Common Shiner, Fathead Minnow, Hybrid Sunfish, Johnny Darter, Lake Whitefish, Logperch, Shorthead Redhorse, Silver Redhorse, Spottail Shiner, Tadpole Madtom, Trout-Perch and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Big Sandy Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Big Sandy Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there topographical lake maps available Big Sandy Lake?
Are there boat launches on Big Sandy Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Big Sandy Lake?
What are the fishing regulations for Big Sandy Lake?
There are specific fishing regulations Big Sandy Lake that you need to know. For complete fishing regulations visit the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. To report a violation call (800) 652-9093. Need a Minnesota fishing license?
Explore the Big Sandy Lake area in a RV
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Adventure Awaits in the 2021 Heartland Mallard Pathfinder P16SRD
Hermantown, MN
What aquatic invasive species are found in Big Sandy Lake?
Join us in the fight to prevent the spread of invasive species These sneaky creatures can hitch a ride on boats, clinging onto propellers, anchor lines, and trailers. They can even survive in hidden places like bilge water and ballast tanks, or disguise themselves in dirt and sand that sticks to nets, buckets, anchors, and waders. But don't worry, we have the power to stop them in their tracks with just a few simple steps. So let's do our part and protect our waters from these unwanted invaders.
History & Status of the Fishery
Fall night electrofishing was conducted on 10/10/2023 to monitor natural reproduction, specifically the abundance of young-of-the-year (YOY) and yearling (age 1) Walleye. This survey is intended to provide information on Walleye recruitment and has been conducted annually since 2009.
The total sample time was 2 hours, resulting in a YOY Walleye catch rate of 122/hour (rates reported as run time). All 8 standard stations were able to be used in the CPUE calculation. Catch rates from previous surveys have ranged from 9 to 138/hour with the exception of 2013, which had an extremely high catch of 490/hour.
Total lengths of YOY Walleye ranged from 4 inches to 6.8 inches and averaged 5.7 inches, which was similar to previous assessments on Big Sandy (2009-2022 average length of 5.6 inches).
The catch rate for age 1 Walleye was 25 per hour and has a long-term average of 38/hour. Overall, natural reproduction appears to be higher in years since the regulations were implemented (median YOY catch rate of 20/hr pre-reg vs 44/hr post-reg), suggesting a possible benefit of the regulation to Walleye reproduction.
Fall night electrofishing should continue as staff time permits to continue to evaluate natural reproduction and to determine whether the catch rate of either YOY or age 1 Walleye is a meaningful predictor of recruitment to harvestable size on this lake. It's important to note that only 1 netter was allowed to be used in 2020 due to protocol restrictions stemming from the Covid-19 pandemic, which may have affected catch rates slightly. Two netters have been used again, to be directly comparable with the entire time series.
What is the average air temp for Big Sandy Lake?
Are there any state parks near Big Sandy Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
Big Sandy Lake Reviews
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More Nearby Lakes To Explore
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| Unnamed Lake | 2.1 mi | 10 | |
| Brown Lake | 2.4 mi | 68 | 28 ft |
| Brown Lake | 2.4 mi | 68 | 28 ft |
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| Rat Lake | 3.6 mi | 431 | 21 ft |
| Aitkin Lake | 3.8 mi | 659 | 35 ft |
