Lake Winnibigoshish
A big, shallow-basin lake on the Mississippi River headwaters near Bena, inside the Chippewa National Forest and the Leech Lake Reservation. Locals call it Winnie, and it is known for walleye, yellow perch and northern pike in summer and on the ice.
Species
Fishery rating out of 5.
Walleye
Bars at 14 to 20 ft or 28 to 33 ft. Jigs with leeches or shiners at dawn, dusk or under heavy overcast.
Yellow Perch
Very abundant. Jig and minnow in 5 to 10 ft in summer, and a top ice fishing target.
Northern Pike
Jigs with large minnows in 18 to 25 ft, or troll Shad Raps and spoons.
Tullibee
Abundant in DNR netting. Usually caught by anglers through the ice.
Boat launches
1 launch sites. Fees and hours change, so confirm before you go.
- More public accessPublicThe Chippewa National Forest runs eight public accesses on the lake. See the USFS or MN DNR LakeFinder for ramps and feesDirections ↗
Size & creel limits
Minimum size and daily limit for each species in Lake Winnibigoshish are published by the state. Look up the current size and creel limits for this lake directly: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources ↗
Bait & tackle nearby
No shops listed yet for this lake. Use the search link below.
Search more bait shops near Lake Winnibigoshish ↗Local tips
- Winnie is big and shallow in places, and it gets rough fast in wind. Keep an eye on the forecast.
- MN DNR lists special or experimental regulations for this lake. Read the current regulations booklet before keeping fish.
- The lake lies within the Leech Lake Reservation, so check tribal rules where they apply.
View on interactive map
Zoom and pan on a street, satellite or terrain map. Red pins are boat launches.
More Minnesota lakes
Leech Lake Rainy Lake Lake Vermilion Lac la Croix Basswood Lake Kabetogama Lake Namakan Lake Kabetogama Lake All Minnesota lakes →
Always wear a life jacket and check your state's current regulations before you fish.