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Little Winnibigoshish Lake

Bowstring Lake · North Cass, Minnesota — Itasca County.

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823Surface acres
2Public access sites

Surface area: The USGS National Hydrography Dataset outline (NHD Permanent ID 47717792).

Location & fast facts

Where Little Winnibigoshish Lake is in Minnesota

The red circle marks Little Winnibigoshish Lake.

Fast facts

About Little Winnibigoshish Lake

  • County: Itasca
  • Shore towns: Bowstring Lake, North Cass
  • Mapped as: Lake or pond (USGS National Hydrography Dataset)
  • Distance: about 172 mi from Minneapolis and 100 mi from Duluth, straight-line (not driving distance)

Towns and counties: U.S. Census Bureau boundaries overlaid on the USGS lake outline.

Fishing in Minnesota

Official Minnesota DNR pages. Rules and fees change; check before you go.

Good for & watch for

Good for

  • Boating. 2 public trailer launches listed (see access)
  • Fishing. Walleye, Northern pike, Largemouth bass and Black crappie
  • Camping. 22 campgrounds within 15 mi (list)

Watch for

  • Non-native/invasive species. Zebra mussel and Rusty Crayfish recorded. Clean, drain and dry your boat and gear.
  • Boat traffic. A public trailer launch means motorboats share the water; expect more traffic on summer weekends.
  • Cold water. Water stays cold well into late spring and turns cold again in fall. Wear a life jacket when paddling in the shoulder seasons.

Built only from the data on this page: official access lists, OpenStreetMap beaches and trails, campground listings, state and USGS invasive-species records. We don't rate crowds or water quality.

Official lake survey (Minnesota DNR)

28 ftMaximum depth
1,002Acres (state figure)

Fish species found in Minnesota DNR lake surveys: Black bullhead, Black crappie, Bluegill, Bowfin (dogfish), Brown bullhead, Hybrid sunfish, Largemouth bass, Northern pike, Pumpkinseed, Rock bass, Shorthead redhorse, Tullibee (cisco), Walleye, White sucker, Yellow bullhead, Yellow perch.

Average depth not published.

Shallow (littoral) area: 209 of 1,002 acres

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources LakeFinder record for Little Winnibigoshish Lake (DOW 31085000), with lake survey reports, depth maps and stocking history. Acreage here can differ slightly from our mapped outline.

Lake map

Little Winnibigoshish Lake shoreline, boat launches & beaches

Winnie Dam - COE (campground)Boat ramp (Boat launch)1Little Winnie Lake Public Water Access Site (Boat launch)2½ mileN

Numbers on the map match the list at rightbelow.

Boat launch Campground
  1. 1Boat ramp
    Boat launch · Bowstring Lake
  2. 2Little Winnie Lake Public Water Access Site
    Boat launch · Bowstring Lake

Shoreline: USGS National Hydrography Dataset (NHD Waterbody, Permanent ID 47717792), public domain. State outline: U.S. Census Bureau TIGERweb. Points: Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL). Interactive map: Leaflet with © OpenStreetMap contributors. Not for navigation.

Campgrounds near Little Winnibigoshish Lake

We found 22 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles of Little Winnibigoshish Lake, 2 of them within 5 miles. Distances are straight-line from the nearest point on the shoreline, so driving distance is longer.

14 more within 15 miles

All campgrounds & RV parks in Minnesota

Green tent icons on the lake map mark campgrounds near the shore, and the interactive map shows the closest 12. Amenities are listed only where a source records them; call or check the campground's website before you go, since seasons and rates change every year.

Campground data: Recreation.gov (RIDB) · OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL). Pulled Oct 12, 2026.

Conditions right now

Air temperature & conditions (nearest NWS station)Loading…
Fetching the latest National Weather Service observation…

Live from the National Weather Service API for the lake's coordinates (47.4173, -94.0232). The nearest station may be several miles away. NWS forecast for Little Winnibigoshish Lake. No live water-temperature sensor is shown because we haven't found a public one for this lake.

Sun, moon & best fishing times

Sun & moon at Little Winnibigoshish Lake

Best fishing times

Major periodMinor periodDaylight

    Based on solunar theory, an estimate. Major periods (about 2 hours) center on when the moon is directly overhead or underfoot; minor periods (about 1 hour) center on moonrise and moonset. The 0–100 activity score rises during those periods and gets a boost near sunrise and sunset and around the new and full moon. Weather, water temperature and pressure often matter more. Sun and moon times are calculated in your browser from the lake's coordinates with standard astronomy formulas, shown in CT (America/Chicago), and accurate to within a few minutes.

    Boat launches & access sites

    2 public access sites listed, 2 with a boat ramp or trailer launch.

    SiteTownOwnerTypeParkingFeeUsesMap
    Boat rampBowstring Lake—Boat ramp (OpenStreetMap) · Yes ramp——Boating47.4311, -94.0245
    Little Winnie Lake Public Water Access SiteBowstring LakeU.S. Forest ServiceTrailer launch · Yes ramp3 trailer—Fishing, Boating47.4241, -94.0376

    Minnesota DNR public water access sites (Minnesota Geospatial Commons) and OpenStreetMap boat ramps (ODbL)

    Fees, hours and rules change; confirm with the site owner before you go.

    Non-native/invasive species

    Reported on or near Little Winnibigoshish Lake

    Clean, Drain, Dry. Remove plants and mud, drain all water, and dry your boat, trailer and gear before moving to another water.

    USGS Nonindigenous Aquatic Species database

    USGS records matched to this water by location (within about 150 m of the outline) or by the place name in the record. A record shows a sighting was reported; it doesn't prove the species is still there. As of Oct 10, 2026.

    Contact & official info

    Questions about Little Winnibigoshish Lake

    How big is Little Winnibigoshish Lake?

    Little Winnibigoshish Lake covers about 823 acres in Bowstring Lake and North Cass, Minnesota (Itasca County).

    How deep is Little Winnibigoshish Lake?

    The maximum recorded depth is 28 feet, according to the Minnesota DNR LakeFinder.

    What fish are in Little Winnibigoshish Lake?

    Minnesota DNR LakeFinder lists Walleye, Northern pike, Largemouth bass, Black crappie, Bluegill, Yellow perch, Tullibee (cisco), Pumpkinseed, Rock bass and Black bullhead and 6 more.

    Is there a public boat launch on Little Winnibigoshish Lake?

    Yes. 2 public trailer launches are listed: Little Winnie Lake Public Water Access Site and Boat ramp. Check posted fees and parking rules.

    Are there campgrounds near Little Winnibigoshish Lake?

    Yes. We list 22 campgrounds and RV parks within 15 miles, 2 of them within 5 miles.

    What towns are on Little Winnibigoshish Lake?

    Little Winnibigoshish Lake touches Bowstring Lake and North Cass in Itasca County, Minnesota.

    Share a tip or fishing report

    Know Little Winnibigoshish Lake? Tell us about the launch, parking, where they're biting or anything a first-time visitor should know. Tips go privately to the LakeRipple editor; nothing is posted automatically. Helpful tips may be featured on this page (we'll use your first name only if you give one).

    Lakes & ponds nearby

    Straight-line distance between lake centers. All Minnesota lakes & ponds · All waters in Bowstring Lake