Minnesota · Stearns County
Big Fish Lake Fishing guide
Big Fish Lake sits in Stearns County, Minnesota, and covers 557 acres, reaching 70 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 17 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.3per gill net17"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 12 fish
2025Lengths measured · 9 fish
2020Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 13 fish
2015Lengths measured · 68 fish
2015Largemouth bassFair numbers31.6per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 127 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 127 fish
2025Lengths measured · 60 fish
2020Lengths measured · 169 fish
2015Lengths measured · 115 fish
2010Northern pikeFair numbers6.6per gill net17"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 63 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 63 fish
2025Lengths measured · 103 fish
2020Lengths measured · 100 fish
2015Lengths measured · 514 fish
2015BluegillJust a few5.8per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 241 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 241 fish
2025Lengths measured · 145 fish
2020Lengths measured · 411 fish
2015Lengths measured · 549 fish
2015CrappieJust a few0.4per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 25 fish
2025Lengths measured · 34 fish
2020Lengths measured · 23 fish
2015Lengths measured · 1 fish
2015Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates 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 Fish Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 17 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 70 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 17 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 70 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 23" | 17" | 27" |
| 2020 | 23" | 14" | 30" |
| 2015 | 28" | 17" | 34" |
| 2010 | 25" | 18" | 29" |
| 2005 | 26" | 15" | 27" |
| 1997 | 25" | 16" | 30" |
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:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 4,113 fingerlings · 128 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 21,882 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 8,736 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,023 fingerlings · 800 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Big Fish Lake was conducted on June 26, 2025, by Sauk Rapids fisheries staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 14 sampling stations. A 50-foot seine was used to sample ten stations and a 15-foot seine was used at four stations. Nearshore sampling captured 25 species of fish including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter and Least Darter) and two that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Common Carp and Green Sunfish).
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a standard survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner and Least Darter), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead and Common Carp). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey suggests that Big Fish Lake is in good health as indicated by an FIBI score that reaches the threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Sauk River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Big Fish Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Big Fish 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 Fish Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Big Fish Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Long Lake · 153 ac · 0.8 mi
- Little Watab Lake · 57 ac · 2 mi
- Big Watab Lake · 246 ac · 2.4 mi
- Minnie Lake · 27 ac · 3.2 mi
- Koop Lake · 60 ac · 3.3 mi
- Kalla Lake · 106 ac · 3.4 mi
- Clear Lake · 118 ac · 3.4 mi
- Pitts Lake · 114 ac · 3.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Big Fish Lake?
Big Fish Lake reaches 70 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 26.4 ft; about 33% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Big Fish Lake?
Big Fish Lake covers 557 acres with about 5.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Big Fish Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Big Fish Lake average 17 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Big Fish Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Big Fish Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Big Fish Lake have a public access?
Yes. Big Fish Lake has one public access site: Big Fish Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Big Fish Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 23"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Big Fish Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Big Fish Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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