4 miles northwest of Cold Spring
Stearns County, Minnesota · 45.5162° N, 94.4651° W
Directions to Big Fish Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
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Updated 19 Oct 2026, 6:15 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on Big Fish Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 8 stockings of Big Fish Lake in 4 of the years 2017 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 100 walleye yearlings. Species stocked: walleye.
Latest: 2025: 4,113 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 Fish Lake was in August 2025: 9 gill nets and 9 trap nets caught 12 species.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 2005 2.6 · 2010 1.4 · 2015 1.3 · 2020 1.0 · 2025 1.3
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 2005 7.3 · 2010 12 · 2015 23 · 2020 7.1 · 2025 5.8
Walleye: 12 measured, 14 to 23 in, half 17 in or longer; average 2.1 lb, above normal (normal 1.2–2.1 lb).
Northern pike: 63 measured, 10 to 27 in, half 17 in or longer; average 1.2 lb, below normal (normal 1.6–2.8 lb).
Largemouth bass: 127 measured, 5 to 17 in, half 11 in or longer; average 0.67 lb, normal (normal 0.5–1.2 lb).
Black crappie: 25 measured, 4 to 12 in, half 8 in or longer; average 0.44 lb, normal (normal 0.3–0.6 lb).
Bluegill: 241 measured, 3 to 8 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.19 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.2 lb).
Also caught: bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 4 Aug 2025, 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 17 ft: the Secchi depth across 4 readings, 2010–2025.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Big Fish Lake is 70 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 557 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Big Fish Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 8 stockings of it in 4 of the years 2017 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 100 walleye yearlings.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2025 standard survey caught 12 species, most often bluegill, northern pike, largemouth bass and hybrid sunfish.
About 73% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.