MN · ranked by public data
43 Otter Tail County lakes have exact-water DNR survey evidence for largemouth bass; 43 lakes with status, survey, or report evidence met our criteria, out of 439 documented lakes in the county. Updated July 2026.
Ranked within spring spawning mn class 31 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1
Otter Tail County, MN
90.0 within-system score · 62,597.7 lake-scale opportunity index · 176.63 fish/hour · 2019 DNR survey
Otter Tail County, MN
87.8 within-system score · 87,778.5 lake-scale opportunity index · 165.82 fish/hour · 2006 DNR survey
Otter Tail County, MN
59.7 within-system score · 41,326.4 lake-scale opportunity index · 98.69 fish/hour · 2015 DNR survey
Otter Tail County, MN
17.7 within-system score · 10,598.6 lake-scale opportunity index · 64.04 fish/hour · 2005 DNR survey
Otter Tail County, MN
10.0 within-system score · 6,174.1 lake-scale opportunity index · 38.27 fish/hour · 2025 DNR survey
Otter Tail County, MN
8.0 within-system score · 8,086.2 lake-scale opportunity index · 47.74 fish/hour · 2005 DNR survey
Ranked within spring spawning mn class 25 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1
Otter Tail County, MN
95.4 within-system score · 81,155.2 lake-scale opportunity index · 144.69 fish/hour · 2013 DNR survey
Otter Tail County, MN
55.9 within-system score · 37,506 lake-scale opportunity index · 118.17 fish/hour · 2007 DNR survey
Otter Tail County, MN
51.1 within-system score · 25,993.7 lake-scale opportunity index · 138 fish/hour · 2017 DNR survey
Otter Tail County, MN
33.5 within-system score · 24,098.6 lake-scale opportunity index · 73.87 fish/hour · 2025 DNR survey
| Rank | Lake | County | Acres | System score | Primary score signal | Survey measurement | Metric year | Fishing report | DNR status | Largemouth Bass stocking |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 5 | Lake Franklin | Otter Tail | 1,088 | 0.0 | index 19,547.6 | 17.97 fish/hour | 1999 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 27 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | ||||||||||
| 1 | Lake Jewett | Otter Tail | 747 | 100.0 | index 886,383.6 | 1186.21 fish/hour | 2022 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| 2 | Big McDonald Lake | Otter Tail | 992 | 39.1 | index 210,845.3 | 212.61 fish/hour | 2017 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| 3 | Blanche Lake | Otter Tail | 1,296 | 18.8 | index 119,069.1 | 91.88 fish/hour | 2010 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| 4 | Crystal Lake | Otter Tail | 1,413 | 6.7 | index 48,251.9 | 34.15 fish/hour | 2018 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 32 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | ||||||||||
| 1 | Bass Lake | Otter Tail | 311 | 100.0 | index 54,463.9 | 175.17 fish/hour | 2014 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| 2 | Anna Lake | Otter Tail | 598 | 62.8 | index 51,252.9 | 85.68 fish/hour | 2014 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| 3 | East Lost Lake | Otter Tail | 483 | 42.6 | index 39,033.8 | 80.74 fish/hour | 2014 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| 4 | Fiske Lake | Otter Tail | 254 | 5.1 | index 24,004.1 | 94.56 fish/hour | 2010 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 28 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | ||||||||||
| 1 | German Lake | Otter Tail | 77 | 100.0 | index 10,872.7 | 140.93 fish/hour | 2010 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| 2 | Fladmark Lake | Otter Tail | 59 | 0.0 | index 5,428.4 | 91.48 fish/hour | 2005 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Ranked within spring spawning mn class 42 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — ranks restart at 1 | ||||||||||
| 1 | Fish Lake | Otter Tail | 489 | 90.0 | index 61,133.2 | 124.93 fish/hour | 2012 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| 2 | Lake Adley | Otter Tail | 241 | 10.0 | index 9,790.8 | 40.7 fish/hour | 2025 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Comparable spring spawning mn class 22 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank | ||||||||||
| — | East Battle Lake | Otter Tail | 1,978 | — | — | 83.68 fish/hour | 2005 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Comparable spring spawning mn class 23 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank | ||||||||||
| — | Lake Ethel | Otter Tail | 191 | — | — | 100.55 fish/hour | 2003 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Comparable spring spawning mn class 29 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank | ||||||||||
| — | Deer Lake | Otter Tail | 447 | — | — | 140.98 fish/hour | 2014 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Comparable spring spawning mn class 33 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank | ||||||||||
| — | Heilberger Lake | Otter Tail | 221 | — | — | 162.04 fish/hour | 2008 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Comparable spring spawning mn class 34 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank | ||||||||||
| — | Ellingson Lake | Otter Tail | 151 | — | — | 30.11 fish/hour | 2006 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Comparable spring spawning mn class 40 standard night bass electrofishing catch per effort (fish per hour) — one lake recorded, no peer rank | ||||||||||
| — | Fish Lake | Otter Tail | 1,078 | — | — | 184.36 fish/hour | 2019 | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| Documented species evidence — unranked and alphabetical | ||||||||||
| — | Anderson Lake | Otter Tail | 89 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Bear Lake | Otter Tail | 198 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Big Pine Lake | Otter Tail | 4,728 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Block Lake | Otter Tail | 290 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Buchanan Lake | Otter Tail | 964 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Clear Lake | Otter Tail | 399 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Clitherall Lake | Otter Tail | 2,540 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Dead Lake | Otter Tail | 7,546 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Devils Lake | Otter Tail | 355 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Eagle Lake | Otter Tail | 907 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | East Leaf Lake | Otter Tail | 423 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | East Silent Lake | Otter Tail | 324 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Little McDonald Lake | Otter Tail | 1,316 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
| — | Little Pine Lake | Otter Tail | 2,080 | — | — | — | — | No · 0% signal | No record | — |
Methodology
County ranks use the same statewide exact-family contract; systems with at least two eligible county peers restart at #1. The score is 55% survey rate × acreage, 35% survey rate, and 10% recency. Catch-per-effort × acreage is only an opportunity index, never a literal fish count. Documented acreage plus verified public or shore access are eligibility gates. Unsupported methods stay documented but unranked. See the complete definitions on the statewide largemouth bass ranking.
FAQ
23 lakes receive at least one peer-backed, exact-lake numeric rank. Catch-per-effort systems separate species, phase, gear, unit, and sampled population; standardized adult-density estimates form their own system, so systems with at least two eligible county peers can each have a #1 in Otter Tail County.
43 Otter Tail County lakes have exact-water DNR survey evidence. Numeric rank still requires an exact comparable family plus the acreage and access gates.
Source data: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder fisheries surveys, lake classes, morphology, and public-access records. Rankings are LakeList's computed opinion from public agency data, not a DNR endorsement. Conditions and regulations change — verify access and rules before you go.