Big Island Lake
depth
Get directions
Depth scale
Survey readout
Big Island Lake is mapped to a depth of 40 ft on the Minnesota DNR survey and covers about 244 acres in Itasca County, Minnesota. Depths come from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1980.
Measured from the Minnesota DNR lake bathymetric contour survey.
- Deepest mapped contour
- 40 ft
- Survey year
- 1980
- Surface area
- 244 acres
- Shoreline
- 6.43 mi · irregular
- Aquatic vegetation
- 8% of surface · NDVI estimate
- Public access
- Trailer Launch · Big Island Lake Public Water Access Site · Minnesota DNR site
Additional depth details8 contours
- Contour depths
- 0–40 ft
- Recorded point soundings
- 40 ft, 10 ft
Provenance
Sources: MN DNR Lake Bathymetric Contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).
⚠ Not for navigationSpot an error? Send a correction
Map details & sources4 sources
All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.
Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.
- Coordinates
- 47.57021, -93.59725
- MN DNR lake ID
- 31067100
- Vertical exaggeration
- 2.32×
- Basemap
- USDA NAIP · public domain
- Model size
- 2.4 MB
Paddling
Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-25Big Island Lake has a heavily wooded and largely undeveloped setting, generally sheltered geometry, limited nearby major-road exposure.
Why this score?5 components
Included in the index
| Component | Rating | Points of weight | Measurement |
|---|---|---|---|
| Natural setting | Excellent | 29.5 of 35 | 86% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (74% forest, 10% wetland; 9% developed) |
| Geometric wind exposure | Very Good | 18.9 of 29 | mean fetch 965 m · 5% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · generally short fetch |
| Motor & speed rules | Not modeled | — | Minnesota’s lake-by-lake motor, speed and no-wake rules are mostly county and city ordinances, not map data, so they are not part of the Minnesota index. Check local signage and ordinances before going out. |
| Public access | Good | 15.0 of 18 | 1 DNR public access site · boat ramp |
| Road isolation | Very Good | 14.1 of 18 | limited nearby major-road exposure · 2 MnDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 268 vehicles/day |
Additional paddling considerations
These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.
- Wake sensitivity
- Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
- Aquatic vegetation
- Low — approximately 8% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
- Observed motorized activity
- Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
- Wildlife habitat potential
- High — 74% forest and 10% wetland cover within 150 m of shore
Compare Minnesota lakes by Paddling Index →
Fish you might catch
from DNR surveys7 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).
About these fish → the Fish of Minnesota guide
Fishery
surveyed 2020Gamefish Largemouth Bass 81 · Northern Pike 45 · Smallmouth Bass 1
Panfish Bluegill 128 · Black Crappie 35 · Yellow Perch 16
All survey species7 species
Gamefish
Panfish
Forage & nongame
Infested waters listing
Not on the Minnesota DNR’s infested waters list as of September 9, 2026. This does not mean the lake is free of invasive species: the list covers certain species only, and a species can be present before anyone finds it.
What does the infested waters list mean?
The Minnesota DNR lists a lake, river, pond or wetland as infested when it contains an aquatic invasive species that could spread to other waters, or when it is connected to a water where one is present. Activities such as bait harvest and water use are managed differently on infested waters. Check the current list before moving water, bait or equipment.
Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. List of Infested Waters, September 9, 2026. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/infested.html
Big Island Lake — common questions
How deep is Big Island Lake?
The deepest contour on the Minnesota DNR bathymetric survey of Big Island Lake is 40 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.
How big is Big Island Lake?
Big Island Lake covers about 244 acres in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What fish are in Big Island Lake?
Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, northern pike, smallmouth bass, black crappie, bluegill, yellow perch. The page lists all 7 species and the evidence behind each.
Is there public access to Big Island Lake?
Yes. The Minnesota DNR lists a public access site on Big Island Lake: a boat ramp. It is administered by the U.S. Forest Service. DNR directions: "4 miles southeast of Marcell, off CSAH 45, on the west shore of Big Island Lake."
