Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Big Pine Lake Fishing guide
Big Pine Lake covers 4,728 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 76 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeOne of the best around13.6per gill net13"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 163 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 163 fish
2023Lengths measured · 156 fish
2020Lengths measured · 296 fish
2017Lengths measured · 404 fish
2011Northern pikeFair numbers8.7per gill net21"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 104 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 104 fish
2023Lengths measured · 19 fish
2020Lengths measured · 20 fish
2017Lengths measured · 73 fish
2011BluegillPresent0.1per gill net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 117 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2023Lengths measured · 1 fish
2023Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 116 fish
2022Lengths measured · 1 fish
2020Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 255 fish
2017CrappiePresent16.5per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 50 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 46 fish
2025Lengths measured · 4 fish
2023Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 9 fish
2020Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 18 fish
2017Yellow perchExcellent numbers21.3per gill net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 256 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 256 fish
2023Lengths measured · 89 fish
2020Lengths measured · 339 fish
2017Lengths measured · 363 fish
2011Last recorded in the 2020 survey and not seen since.
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 Pine Lake through the year
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. On a lake that drops to 76 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.
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. On a lake that drops to 76 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Northern pike | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 26" | 28" | 9" |
| 2020 | 28" | 29" | 9" |
| 2017 | 26" | 31" | 10" |
| 2011 | 25" | 34" | 10" |
| 2008 | 27" | 36" | 10" |
| 2005 | 27" | 40" | 10" |
| 2002 | 25" | 40" | 10" |
| 1999 | 29" | 34" | 9" |
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
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
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · Live bait
Slip Bobber + Leech
jumbo or large leech
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 2025 survey
Big Pine Lake is a 4,730-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in northeastern Otter Tail County approximately three miles east of Perham, MN. Big Pine Lake is part of the Otter Tail River Watershed and is connected to Little Pine and Rush Lakes via the Otter Tail River. The Otter Tail River inlet is located along the northwest shoreline while the outlet is located along the west shoreline of the lake. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of mixed hardwoods. The maximum depth of Big Pine Lake is 76 feet; however, fifty percent of the lake is less than 15 feet in depth. Historical Secchi disk readings have ranged from 4.5 to 8.5 feet.
The shoreline of Big Pine Lake has been extensively developed. Homes, cottages, and resorts compose the majority of the development. DNR owned concrete public water accesses are located along the northwest and southeast shorelines of the lake. A DNR owned earthen public water access is located along the north shoreline. The shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and rubble. Stands of hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice are scattered along the entire shoreline of the lake; however, the largest stands are along areas that haven't been highly developed and are located on the east, west and south shorelines. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush, cattail, and wild rice provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and are critical for maintaining good water quality. Emergent plants provide spawning areas for fish such as Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit. To maintain the excellent angling that this lake has to offer, it is imperative to preserve the quality of the aquatic habitat.
Read the full DNR narrative
A reduced daily limit of 5 crappie was instituted in 2025. The goal of this regulation is to maintain or improve the size structure of the Black Crappie population. A special spring boat electrofishing survey was conducted in 2025 to analyze the Black Crappie population and establish baseline demographics. Catch data indicate that Black Crappies are moderately abundant. The 2021-year class is strong and should provide consistently good Black Crappie angling for several years. Crappie recruitment is inconsistent, which can result in varying levels of abundance and changes in size structure over time. Fish sampled ranged in size from 8.6 to 14.4 inches in length, with an average length of 10.8 inches. Eighty-seven percent of the crappies were 10.0 inches or greater in length. Crappie growth rates are average, with a mean length of 10.6 inches at five years of age.
Anglers can maintain the quality of angling in Big Pine Lake by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large-size fish while allowing the harvest of the more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future.
Big Pine Lake was listed as infested with zebra mussels in 2020. Aquatic invasive species are threatening Minnesota waters. The non-native fish species can potentially harm water quality, water recreation, aquatic habitat, native species, and fish populations. Anglers can help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species by following watercraft transportation laws.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Big Pine Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Big Pine 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.
Open the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report
All Big Pine Lake fishing reports → · Otter Tail County reports
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Big Pine Lake (E) (trailer launch)
- Big Pine Lake (W) (trailer launch)
- Big Pine Lake (N) (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Big Pine Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Pine Lake · 2,080 ac · 3.6 mi
- Bear Lake · 198 ac · 6.9 mi
- Devils Lake · 355 ac · 7.8 mi
- Boedigheimer Lake · 169 ac · 7.9 mi
- Rush Lake · 5,276 ac · 8.2 mi
- Round Lake · 273 ac · 9.4 mi
- Marion Lake · 1,624 ac · 9.5 mi
- Paul Lake · 347 ac · 9.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Big Pine Lake?
Big Pine Lake reaches 76 ft at its deepest point; about 50% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Big Pine Lake?
Big Pine Lake covers 4,728 acres with about 14.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Big Pine Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Big Pine Lake average 5.4 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Big Pine Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, lake sturgeon, rock bass.
Is Big Pine Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Big Pine Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Big Pine Lake have a public access?
Yes. Big Pine Lake has 3 public access sites, including Big Pine Lake (E) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Big Pine Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1999.
When was Big Pine Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Big Pine Lake in 2025, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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