Minnesota · Itasca County
Big Island Lake Fishing guide
Big Island Lake sits in Itasca County, Minnesota, and covers 244 acres, reaching 42 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 14 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers6.8per gill net22"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 45 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 45 fish
2020Lengths measured · 71 fish
2005CrappieJust a few2.8per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 35 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 35 fish
2020Lengths measured · 36 fish
2005Yellow perchFair numbers1.8per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2020Lengths measured · 16 fish
2020Lengths measured · 33 fish
2005Rates 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 Island Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 14 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 42 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.
Bluegill
- Spring
- Bluegill are on the beds in firm-bottomed shallows, in colonies of dozens. On a clear lake those colonies sit deeper than you expect. At 14 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Bluegill are off the beds and onto the weed edges and brush, the biggest ones pulling out first.
- Summer
- Bluegill are on the deep weedline of a stratified lake, sliding out as the surface starts back down. On a lake that drops to 42 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Bluegill are back up onto the flats and into the last green weeds, feeding hard while the shallows still hold heat.
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 | Largemouth bass | Bluegill | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 19" | 7" | 28" |
| 2005 | 18" | 7" | 32" |
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:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Bluegill · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
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
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Big Island Lake was conducted on July 20-21, 2021, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program 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 10 sampling stations, but one station was sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample two stations, a 15-foot seine was used at four stations, and site conditions prevented the use of seines at four stations. Nearshore sampling captured six species of fish including one species that is intolerant of disturbance (Blacknose Shiner) and no species that are tolerant of disturbance.
The nearshore data were combined with trap net and gill net data from a July 2020 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 (Blacknose Shiner), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (Black Bullhead). 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
Results from this survey indicate that the fish community in Big Island Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Big Fork River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Big Island Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Big Island 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 Island Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Big Island Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Crooked Lake · 135 ac · 0.7 mi
- Big Ole Lake · 217 ac · 1 mi
- Three Island Lake · 250 ac · 1.1 mi
- Dock Lake · 30 ac · 1.9 mi
- East Smith Lake · 152 ac · 2.2 mi
- Clubhouse Lake · 265 ac · 2.6 mi
- Gunn Lake · 382 ac · 2.7 mi
- Big Dick Lake · 260 ac · 2.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Big Island Lake?
Big Island Lake reaches 42 ft at its deepest point; about 83% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Big Island Lake?
Big Island Lake covers 244 acres with about 8.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Big Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Big Island Lake average 14 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Big Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Big Island Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Big Island Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Big Island Lake have a public access?
Yes. Big Island Lake has one public access site: Big Island Lake (trailer launch).
When was Big Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Big Island Lake in 2021, the most recent of 7 surveys on record.
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