Big Pine

Big Pine Lake is a 387-acre lake in northwestern Pine County located eleven miles northwest of Sandstone and is within the Kettle River Watershed. The lake has a maximum depth of 25 ft and 35% of the lake is 15 feet or less (135 littoral acres). It is a steep sided narrow basin that lies in a northeast/southwest direction. Walleye fry were stocked into Big Pine Lake on May 2, 2025. The stocking rate was 250 fry per littoral acre (250*135) which equals 33,750 fry. This stocking rate has occurred annually since 2023. The fry were LMS (Lower Mississippi Strain), a local genetic strain sourced from the Knife River in April. Stocking the LMS strain fry was initiated in 2023. Walleye fingerlings are also stocked in even-numbered years at a rate of 1.3 pounds per littoral acre (176 pounds), which was initiated in 2018. Fingerlings have the MIS genetic strain (Mississippi River). Big Pine Lake was electrofished on the night of October 30, 2025 to evaluate the relative abundance of juvenile Walleye. Water temperatures were 52 °F. Nine 10-minute stations were sampled. These stations were established in the fall of 2025 to conform with standardized statewide protocols. No age-0 walleyes were sampled in 2025. Sampling zero age-0 walleyes has been observed in 3/7 years sampled. The average catch rate is 6/hour. We attempted to net all walleye observed. Ten age-1 and older Walleye were sampled at a rate of 6/hour. They ranged from 10.5 to 18.8 inches. Age-1 and -2 Walleye were most frequently sampled and ranged in length from 10.2 to 12.8 inches. The possibility of natural Walleye reproduction makes fry stockings contribution to the Walleye year classes unknown.

A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Big Pine Lake was conducted beginning on June 10th, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Ten sampling stations were completed with backpack electrofishing. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample eight stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at one station. One station was not seined due to heavy vegetation and soft sediments. Nearshore sampling captured 15 species of fish including three species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass) and zero that are tolerant of disturbance. A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by LBMA program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured nine species of fish, including zero that are intolerant of disturbance. Bluegill and Yellow Perch comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Bluegill and Yellow Bullhead comprised a majority by biomass. The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a June 2022 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Big Pine Lake may be adversely impacted by stressors as indicated by an FIBI score near the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings which indicated that Big Pine Lake was vulnerable to impairment based on FIBI scores near the impairment threshold. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Kettle River watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Big Pine Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.

Walleye fry were stocked into Big Pine Lake on May 17 at a rate of 250 per littoral acre. The fry were a local genetic strain sourced from the Knife River in April. Big Pine Lake was electrofished the night of October 11, 2023, to evaluate the relative abundance of young of the year Walleye. Similar to past fall assessments, the catch rate was low with only 10 age-0 Walleye per hour captured. Age-0 Walleye ranged from 5.7 to 8.1 inches in length with a 7.4-inch average. Age-1 Walleye were sampled at a rate of 12 per hour. Age-1 Walleye ranged in length from 8.3 to 10.1 inches and had a 8.9-inch average. The possibility of natural Walleye reproduction and the low stocking rate makes the fry stocking's contribution to the 2023 Walleye year class unknown.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Largemouth Bass, Northern Pike, Black Crappie, Walleye, and Smallmouth Bass in Big Pine. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Big Pine. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Big Pine has a maximum depth of 25 feet and a mean depth of 15 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Big Pine is from 2025.

No invasive species are on record for Big Pine in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.