13 miles south of Bigfork
Itasca County, Minnesota · 47.5538° N, 93.6649° W
Directions to North Star Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access site.
Updated 15 Oct 2026, 4:58 pm EDT.
National Weather Service; National Interagency Fire Center; U.S. EPA CyAN satellite; Minnesota DNR. Weather, warnings, fires and satellite refresh when you open the page (checked at most hourly).
Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on North Star Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 13 stockings of North Star Lake in 10 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 20 muskellunge yearlings. Species stocked: muskellunge, walleye.
Latest: 2025: 6,908 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 North Star Lake was in August 2019: 12 gill nets and 12 trap nets caught 11 species. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in May 2025; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 2001 3.2 · 2005 4.2 · 2009 4.3 · 2014 3.3 · 2019 4.7
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 2001 21 · 2005 13 · 2009 27 · 2014 22 · 2019 10
Walleye: 57 measured, 9 to 28 in, half 16 in or longer; average 2.1 lb, normal (normal 1.2–2.4 lb).
Northern pike: 26 measured, 21 to 37 in, half 27 in or longer; average 5 lb, above normal (normal 1.5–2.7 lb).
Largemouth bass: 6 measured, 6 to 13 in, half 7 in or longer; average 0.7 lb, normal (normal 0.5–1.1 lb).
Black crappie: 26 measured, 4 to 12 in, half 7 in or longer; average 0.28 lb, normal (normal 0.2–0.4 lb).
Bluegill: 163 measured, 3 to 7 in, half 4 in or longer; average 0.09 lb, below normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Also caught: muskellunge, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco).
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 26 Aug 2019, 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 15 ft: the Secchi depth across 6 readings, 2009–2022.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
North Star Lake is 90 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 832 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: North Star Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 13 stockings of it in 10 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 20 muskellunge yearlings.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2019 standard survey caught 11 species, most often bluegill, walleye, yellow perch and rock bass.
About 78% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.