Public access is available at a state-owned ramp in the southeast corner.
The lake lies within the Tippecanoe River watershed and drains 5,690 acres. Hydraulic retention time is 355 days. Most of its east basin is developed but some homes are present on the middle and west basins. Maximum depth of Big Lake is 70 feet and average depth is 25 feet. Cattails and spatterdock are the major emergent plants.