Minnesota · Beltrami County
Big Bass (east basin) Lake Fishing guide
Big Bass (east basin) Lake covers 337 acres in Beltrami County, Minnesota, reaching 17 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 7.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers1.2per gill net19"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 14 fish
2022Lengths measured · 15 fish
2017Lengths measured · 16 fish
2012Lengths measured · 28 fish
2007Largemouth bassPresent1.2per seine haul14"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 19 fish
2022Lengths measured · 265 fish
2017Lengths measured · 39 fish
2012Lengths measured · 24 fish
2007Northern pikeOne of the best around18.9per gill net19"Typical36"Biggest
Lengths measured · 187 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 187 fish
2022Lengths measured · 165 fish
2017Lengths measured · 139 fish
2012Lengths measured · 83 fish
2007BluegillOne of the best around77.1per trap net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1500 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 258 fish
2024Lengths measured · 1242 fish
2022Lengths measured · 469 fish
2017Lengths measured · 984 fish
2012CrappieJust a few1.4per trap net5"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 59 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 59 fish
2022Lengths measured · 37 fish
2017Lengths measured · 70 fish
2012Lengths measured · 31 fish
2007Yellow perchFair numbers3per gill net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 27 fish
2022Lengths measured · 49 fish
2017Lengths measured · 151 fish
2012Lengths measured · 99 fish
2007Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Big Bass (east basin) Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 93% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 17-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. With 93% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 17-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 36" | 23" | 16" |
| 2017 | 33" | 22" | 18" |
| 2012 | 33" | 26" | 17" |
| 2007 | 36" | 27" | 10" |
| 2002 | 37" | 27" | 18" |
| 1997 | 31" | 29" | 18" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 846 fingerlings · 451 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 7,159 fingerlings · 444 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 7,725 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 10,038 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 84 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 988 fingerlings · 1,769 yearlings · 203 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
In spring 2021, a daily bag limit reduction for sunfish (5 fish/day) was implemented on Big Bass Lake as part of the statewide Quality Sunfish Initiative (QSI). The goal of this special regulation is to maintain or improve Bluegill size structure by reducing angler harvest. In order to evaluate effectiveness of the regulation, Bluegill populations on many QSI lakes are periodically assessed. Primary data of interest include size structure metrics as well as age structure and growth information. Because age and growth data were recorded recently for Big Bass in 2020, these data were not collected in 2024.
On May 20, 2024, night electrofishing was conducted on Big Bass Lake. Surface water temperatures were in the low sixties, and Bluegill was the only species collected. Areas sampled are shown in Figure 1. During 53 minutes of shocking, 258 Bluegill were captured, resulting in a catch rate of 291.9 fish/hour. Lengths ranged from 2.4 to 7.2 inches with an average size of 4.7 inches. No fish were larger than eight inches. In 2020, average length was better at 5.7 inches and fish larger than eight inches were present.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Big Bass (east basin) Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Big Bass (east basin) Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Big Bass Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Big Bass (east basin) Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Bemidji (main lake) · 6,596 ac · 4 mi
- Turtle River Lake · 1,740 ac · 4.4 mi
- Beltrami Lake · 726 ac · 4.5 mi
- Movil Lake · 855 ac · 5.3 mi
- Three Island Lake · 730 ac · 6.1 mi
- Irving Lake · 662 ac · 6.9 mi
- Turtle Lake · 1,607 ac · 7 mi
- Black Lake · 271 ac · 7.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Big Bass (east basin) Lake?
Big Bass (east basin) Lake reaches 17 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 9.2 ft; about 93% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Big Bass (east basin) Lake?
Big Bass (east basin) Lake covers 337 acres with about 3.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Big Bass (east basin) Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Big Bass (east basin) Lake average 7.5 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Big Bass (east basin) Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Big Bass (east basin) Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Big Bass (east basin) Lake have a public access?
Yes. Big Bass (east basin) Lake has one public access site: Big Bass Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Big Bass (east basin) Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 36"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Big Bass (east basin) Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Big Bass (east basin) Lake in 2024, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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