6 miles west of Cloquet
Carlton County, Minnesota · 46.7004° N, 92.6301° W
Directions to Big Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access site.
Updated 15 Oct 2026, 4:30 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on Big Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 1 stockings of Big Lake in 1 of the years 2016 to 2016. The most recent, in 2016, included 14,520 walleye fingerlings. Species stocked: walleye.
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 Lake was in August 2020: 9 gill nets and 9 trap nets caught 9 species.
Northern pike per gill net, standard surveys: 1998 11 · 2003 14 · 2008 16 · 2013 11 · 2020 12
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 1998 14 · 2003 11 · 2008 22 · 2013 6.8 · 2020 15
Northern pike: 121 measured, 8 to 35 in, half 18 in or longer; average 1.9 lb, normal (normal 1.3–2.3 lb).
Largemouth bass: 13 measured, 9 to 19 in, half 11 in or longer; average 1.2 lb, normal (normal 0.6–1.5 lb).
Black crappie: 49 measured, 4 to 9 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.19 lb, below normal (normal 0.2–0.6 lb).
Bluegill: 191 measured, 3 to 9 in, half 4 in or longer; average 0.07 lb, below normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Yellow perch: 42 measured, 5 to 7 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.11 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.2 lb).
Also caught: brown bullhead, golden shiner, hybrid sunfish.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 10 Aug 2020, 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 13 ft: the Secchi depth across 3 readings, 2008–2020.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Big Lake is 25 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 526 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Big Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 1 stockings of it in 1 of the years 2016 to 2016. The most recent, in 2016, included 14,520 walleye fingerlings.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2020 standard survey caught 9 species, most often bluegill, northern pike, black crappie and hybrid sunfish.
About 30% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.