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6,152-acre lake near Ortonville. The lake tops out around 15 ft. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1958, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map). Species by species, here's what the data says the year looks like.
Big Stone Lake's chart carries 66.9 miles of bank — 9 islands included. A development index of 4.4 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. End to end it runs roughly 24.5 mi, about 4.7 mi across. It sits in Big Stone County. If the bite dies, Barry is 10 mi to the north.
The spring pattern is a shallow one: walleye in 4 to 15 ft. The depth story barely changes: 5 to 15 ft through summer, 5 to 15 ft in winter. The spot to know is Break off the point, a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Plan around the evening and early morning in the warm months. Summer baits: a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Gravel shoal (3 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (15 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
In spring, yellow perch run shallow here, mostly 3 to 12 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 5 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 15 ft for winter. Spring yellow perch concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Early season northern pike use the shallows, holding in 2 to 8 ft. Summer is a 5 to 15 ft game here, winter a 5 to 15 ft one. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 3 ft, prime for spring. Best bite is early morning and the evening. Tie on a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow flat (5 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (15 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring largemouth bass on Big Stone Lake hold shallow, usually 2 to 10 ft. They move out to 5 to 15 ft in summer and finish the year down in 5 to 15 ft. Put Shallow bay flat first on the milk run — a weed flat near 3 ft that grades prime for spring. The feeding windows run early morning and the evening. The summer box starts with a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (15 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
In spring, rock bass run shallow here, mostly 2 to 10 ft. Summer pushes them deeper, 4 to 15 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. Gravel shoal is the standout, a gravel shoal at roughly 3 ft, rated prime for spring rock bass. Time it for the evening. You won't need more than a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Gravel shoal (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (15 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: white bass in 2 to 12 ft. As the season builds they drop to 5 to 15 ft, wintering in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 6 ft range, prime in fall. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a slab spoon or a small topwater (schooling fish) gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Gravel shoal (3 ft) | Curly-tail jig (white), Small lipless crank |
| Summer | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Slab spoon, Small topwater (schooling fish) |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (6 ft) | Jigging spoon, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (15 ft) | Jigging spoon (deep), Blade bait |
Big Stone Lake also holds crappie (5 to 15 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer), brown bullhead (3 to 12 ft in summer), channel catfish (5 to 15 ft in summer), freshwater drum (4 to 15 ft in summer), common carp (3 to 15 ft in summer), lake sturgeon (5 to 15 ft in summer), pumpkinseed (2 to 10 ft in summer), black bullhead (3 to 15 ft in summer), green sunfish (2 to 12 ft in summer), yellow bullhead (3 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Structure-wise the chart holds 16 features, led in depth by Deep basin at roughly 15 ft.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Walleye (fry) | 3,000,000 | — |
| 2024* | Lake Sturgeon (fingerlings) | 2,936 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (fingerlings) | 18,263 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (fingerlings) | 1,624 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye (yearlings) | 731 | — |
| 2024* | Walleye | 839,797 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Big Stone Lake specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Big Stone Lake is about 15 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1958, a decades-old survey (the DNR's original lake-survey map).
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass, rock bass, white bass, crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, channel catfish, freshwater drum, common carp, lake sturgeon, pumpkinseed, black bullhead, green sunfish, yellow bullhead on Big Stone Lake.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 15 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Open the map above to see every rated spot for each species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports records, Big Stone Lake was most recently stocked 2025 with 3,000,000 walleye (fry). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Big Stone Lake is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Barry 10 mi · North Rothwell 11 mi · Lone Tree Slough 12 mi · East Toqua 13 mi · Lannon 13 mi · Farley Lake 14 mi, SD · Otrey 15 mi · Long Tom 15 mi · Traverse 19 mi, MN/SD · Summit Lake 21 mi, SD · Long 23 mi · Artichoke 24 mi
See how Big Stone Lake stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best white bass lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Big Stone County fishing maps (11 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.