Explore the heart of the Chippewa
The name of Minnesota's seventh-largest lake comes from the Ojibwe word "Wiinibiigoonzhish," a diminutive and pejorative form of "Wiinibiig," meaning filthy or brackish water.
Located 15 miles northwest of Deer River, Winnibigoshish is a 56,544-acre lake with a mean depth of 15.1 feet and a maximum depth of 70 feet. It is shallow, wind-swept reservoir with a sandy shoreline and gently sloping shoal areas. Nicknamed Big Winnie or Winnie, it sits in the heart of the 1.6 million acre Chippewa National Forest.
It's a popular destination for anglers targeting walleye, yellow perch and northern pike but the area offers so much more. From comfortable lakeside resorts and lodges to scenic northwoods RV and rustic camping, Winnibigoshish offers boating, hiking, biking, touring and wildlife watching opportunities galore.
- Input group
Members
The DNR advertises available committee seats intermittently when a number have become open. In between these calls, the DNR welcomes applications on a rolling basis.
- TBD; Itasca County
- Filled ; Cass County
- Filled ; Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe / Division of Resource Management
- Filled ; United States Forest Service
- Filled ; Statewide Species Workgroup (Walleye)
- Filled ; Lake Winnibigoshish Local Resort Owner
- Filled ; Lake Winnibigoshish Local Resort Owner>
- Filled ; Lake Winnibigoshish Local Resort Owner
- TBD; Darkhouse representative
- TBD; Local fishing guide
- TBD; Local angler (non-guide)
- TBD; Statewide angler
- TBD; Statewide angler
- TBD; Local business owner (e.g., bait and tackle)
Purpose
The Lake Winnibigoshish Fisheries Input Group provides input to the DNR on fisheries management activities for Lake Winnibigoshish. The group launched in 2025.
The group advises the DNR on issues that are relevant to the state’s management of Lake Winnibigoshish fisheries, including any activities that are authorized, licensed, permitted or otherwise regulated or managed by the state.
The DNR will support the group by supplying information that is used to help manage the fishery, including standard fish population assessments, creel (angler) surveys, status of invasive species or other available information requested by the group.
The group will:
- Represent the breadth of interests around Lake Winnibigoshish fisheries.
- Learn about and contribute to a shared understanding of biological, social and economic aspects of the fishery.
- Identify and communicate to DNR staff significant stakeholder issues related to the state’s management of the fishery.
- Facilitate dialogue between the public and the DNR regarding important issues.
- Provide input to advise DNR on potential approaches to respond to issues.
- Provide advice on the most effective and acceptable regulations.
During management plan revisions, it is anticipated that the group will meet up to four times annually. Between lake management plan revisions, the group will meet annually.
Contact & questions
- About
The geology surrounding Lake Winnibigoshish contains a high proportion of sandy soils, providing an abundance of sandy shoreline with very gradual slopes.
With approximately 11 miles of open water between the north and south shores, the lake is prone to high wave action and frequent mixing of the water column when exposed to high winds. During the open water season, this keeps temperatures and oxygen levels much more uniform from the surface to the bottom of the lake in comparison to smaller, more protected lakes with similar water depths.
Major changes have been occurring within the system during the past 15 years. These changes began around the time of the discovery of invasive faucet snails in 2007, followed by the detection of larval zebra mussels in 2012 and adult zebra mussels in 2016.
Invasive species found in Winnibigoshish are known filter feeders that can dramatically increase water clarity by feeding on plankton, which provide important forage for recently hatched fish. Increasing water clarity tends to improve habitat for bass, sunfish and northern pike while decreasing habitat suitability for walleye.
- History
Winnibogoshish is part of the Mississippi River headwaters reservoir system, which also includes reservoir lakes and dams at Cross, Gull, Big Sandy, Pokegama and Leech lakes.
The first dam was built on Winnibigoshish from 1881-1884 to help control flooding as far downstream as Minneapolis. The wooden structure was replaced with the current concrete dam from 1899-1900.
Surrounding areas were flooded as the water levels rose behind the dam, connecting the waters of Winnibigoshish with Cut Foot Sioux Lake to the northeast and Sugar Lake to the west.
The reservoir system on the upper Mississippi served its purpose well until the 1930s, when construction of the locks and dams below Minneapolis was completed and demand for supplemental water flow was greatly reduced.
Today, the dams and reservoirs provide limited flood control and their mission has shifted to flood risk management, recreation and environmental stewardship.