Minnesota · Carlton County
Big Lake Fishing guide
Big Lake covers 526 acres in Carlton County, Minnesota, reaching 25 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 13.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 8 times, most recently in 2020, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 6 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassFair numbers49.8per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 72 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2020Lengths measured · 13 fish
2020Lengths measured · 59 fish
2013Lengths measured · 45 fish
2008Lengths measured · 9 fish
2003Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers11.9per gill net19"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 234 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2020Lengths measured · 121 fish
2020Lengths measured · 113 fish
2013Lengths measured · 159 fish
2008Lengths measured · 135 fish
2003BluegillJust a few10.9per trap net4"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 280 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2020Lengths measured · 191 fish
2020Lengths measured · 89 fish
2013Lengths measured · 220 fish
2008Lengths measured · 120 fish
2003CrappieJust a few2.8per trap net6"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 87 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2020Lengths measured · 49 fish
2020Lengths measured · 38 fish
2013Lengths measured · 57 fish
2008Lengths measured · 44 fish
2003Yellow perchGood numbers5.1per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 104 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2020Lengths measured · 42 fish
2020Lengths measured · 62 fish
2013Lengths measured · 62 fish
2008Lengths measured · 23 fish
2003Rates 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 Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 13.2 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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 84% 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 13.2 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. With 84% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- 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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass | Walleye |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2020 | 35" | 19" | — |
| 2013 | 37" | 20" | 23" |
| 2008 | 31" | 17" | 25" |
| 2003 | 30" | 15" | 26" |
| 1998 | 37" | 18" | 25" |
| 1994 | 32" | 14" | 24" |
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
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
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2016 | Walleye | 14,520 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2020 survey
Big Lake is a 526-acre lake located near Sawyer, Minnesota with 84% (440 acres) littoral area and a maximum depth of 25 feet. A DNR administered, concrete, back-in access is located off County Road #112. Largemouth Bass and Bluegill are the primary management species. Big was last surveyed in 2013. Big was surveyed during the summer of 2020 to update information about fish populations.
Spring Largemouth Bass sampling was suspended during the 2020 due to the pandemic. Previous spring Largemouth Bass electrofishing assessments have shown a robust Largemouth Bass population in Big Lake. Largemouth Bass gillnet abundance of 1.4 per lift was above average compared to other similar Minnesota lakes. The proportion of adult Largemouth Bass captured in gillnets that exceeded preferred size (greater than 15 inches) was 38%.
Read the full DNR narrative
Bluegill abundance of 15.0 per trapnet lift was up from 2013 (6.8) and average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Bluegill average length was 4.5 inches and growth was slow compared to other Duluth Area lakes. One large specimen over nine inches long was captured in the gillnets.
Northern Pike abundance of 12.4 per gillnet lift was up from 2013 (11.4) and above average compared to other similar Minnesota lakes. Average length was 20.0 inches and growth was slow compared to other Duluth Area lakes. The proportion of adult Northern Pike captured that exceeded preferred size (greater than 28 inches) was 9%, while the proportion that exceeded memorable size (greater than 34 inches) was 1%.
Black Crappie abundance of 3.2 per trapnet lift was down from 2013 (5.6) and average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Black Crappie average length was 7.0 inches and growth was slow compared to other Duluth Area lakes.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Big Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Big 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 Lake (trailer launch)
- Big Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Big Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Corona Lake · 27 ac · 4.4 mi
- Park Lake · 381 ac · 5.7 mi
- West Twin Lake · 121 ac · 7.3 mi
- Hizer Lake · 34 ac · 9.5 mi
- Chub Lake · 313 ac · 9.7 mi
- Martin Lake · 68 ac · 9.7 mi
- Scanlon Reservoir · 71 ac · 10 mi
- Hay Lake · 140 ac · 10.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Big Lake?
Big Lake reaches 25 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 8 ft; about 84% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Big Lake?
Big Lake covers 526 acres with about 8.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Big Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Big Lake average 13.2 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Big Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2020) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Big Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2016.
Does Big Lake have a public access?
Yes. Big Lake has 2 public access sites, including Big Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Big Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 37"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Big Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Big Lake in 2020, the most recent of 8 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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