4 miles south of Turtle River
Beltrami County, Minnesota · 47.5334° N, 94.7878° W
Directions to Big Bass Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access site.
Updated 19 Oct 2026, 5:47 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on Big Bass Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 10 stockings of Big Bass Lake in 6 of the years 2016 to 2024. The most recent, in 2024, included 451 walleye yearlings. Species stocked: walleye.
Latest: 2024: 846 walleye fingerlings.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries (LakeFinder stocking reports), fetched 15 Oct 2026. How we measure
Measured from Minnesota DNR contours. How we measure
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of Big Bass Lake (Big Bass (east basin) basin) was in June 2022: 9 gill nets and 8 trap nets caught 10 species. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in May 2024; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 2002 4.6 · 2007 2.7 · 2012 1.7 · 2017 1.1 · 2022 1.2
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 2002 68 · 2007 33 · 2012 101 · 2017 25 · 2022 77
Walleye: 14 measured, 13 to 23 in, half 19 in or longer; average 2.3 lb, above normal (normal 1–2.1 lb).
Northern pike: 187 measured, 11 to 36 in, half 19 in or longer; average 2 lb, normal (normal 1.3–2.3 lb).
Largemouth bass: 19 measured, 10 to 16 in, half 14 in or longer; average 1.4 lb, normal (normal 0.6–1.5 lb).
Black crappie: 59 measured, 4 to 11 in, half 5 in or longer; average 0.15 lb, below normal (normal 0.2–0.3 lb).
Bluegill: 1,242 measured, 3 to 8 in, half 5 in or longer; average 0.06 lb, below normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Also caught: brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 22 Jun 2022, via LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Normal range: DNR’s range for lakes of the same class (43 classes, grouped by water chemistry and shape). Each line has its own scale. How we measure
Measured water clarity averages about 8 ft: the Secchi depth across 2 readings, 2007–2017.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Big Bass Lake is 17 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 389 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Big Bass Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 10 stockings of it in 6 of the years 2016 to 2024. The most recent, in 2024, included 451 walleye yearlings.
Minnesota DNR’s June 2022 standard survey caught 10 species, most often bluegill, pumpkinseed, northern pike and black crappie.
About 38% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.