4 miles east of Perham
Otter Tail County, Minnesota · 46.6091° N, 95.4951° W
Directions to Big Pine Lake (W) Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access sites (3 listed; this is the first).
Updated 15 Oct 2026, 5:11 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
3 public access sites on Big Pine Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of Big Pine Lake was in July 2017: 12 gill nets and 11 trap nets caught 19 species. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in June 2025; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 2002 25 · 2005 15 · 2008 13 · 2011 34 · 2017 18
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 1999 0.1 · 2005 15 · 2008 1.8 · 2011 1.0 · 2017 23
Walleye: 296 measured, 5 to 26 in, half 11 in or longer; average 1 lb, below normal (normal 1.2–2.1 lb).
Northern pike: 20 measured, 20 to 31 in, half 23 in or longer; average 3.5 lb, above normal (normal 1.6–2.8 lb).
Largemouth bass: 9 measured, 5 to 18 in, half 9 in or longer; average 0.65 lb, normal (normal 0.2–0.8 lb).
Black crappie: 18 measured, 3 to 11 in, half 4 in or longer; average 0.24 lb, below normal (normal 0.3–0.6 lb).
Bluegill: 255 measured, 3 to 9 in, half 5 in or longer; average 0.12 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.2 lb).
Also caught: bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, freshwater drum, hybrid sunfish, lake sturgeon, shorthead redhorse, trout-perch, tullibee (cisco), white sucker, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 17 Jul 2017, 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 5 ft: the Secchi depth across 5 readings, 2008–2023.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Big Pine Lake is 76 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 4,728 acres.
Yes. 3 public access sites are listed: Big Pine Lake (W) Public Water Access Site; Big Pine Lake (E) Public Water Access Site; Big Pine Lake (N) Public Water Access Site.
Minnesota DNR’s July 2017 standard survey caught 19 species, most often yellow perch, bluegill, walleye and pumpkinseed.
About 59% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.