Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Deer Lake Fishing guide
Deer Lake covers 447 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 26 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 9.1 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.6per gill net14"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 36 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 36 fish
2019Lengths measured · 34 fish
2014Lengths measured · 23 fish
2009Lengths measured · 62 fish
2004Largemouth bassPresent (last recorded 2019)0.6per gill net11"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 10 fish
2019Lengths measured · 54 fish
2014Lengths measured · 20 fish
2009Lengths measured · 5 fish
2004Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers6.2per gill net18"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 62 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 62 fish
2019Lengths measured · 60 fish
2014Lengths measured · 63 fish
2009Lengths measured · 42 fish
2004BluegillFair numbers33.6per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 820 fish
Recent · 2019 + 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 313 fish
2024Lengths measured · 151 fish
2021Lengths measured · 356 fish
2019Lengths measured · 350 fish
2014CrappieJust a few0.4per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 10 fish
2019Lengths measured · 27 fish
2014Lengths measured · 2 fish
2009Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2004Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchJust a few1per gill net5"Typical6"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 12 fish
2019Lengths measured · 23 fish
2014Lengths measured · 46 fish
2009Lengths measured · 8 fish
2004Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lake sturgeonPresent (last recorded 2019)Last recorded in the 2019 survey and not seen since.
Last recorded in the 2019 survey and not seen since.
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 12 fish
2019Lengths measured · 2 fish
2014Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
No recent survey rating.
Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Deer Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. With 68% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Bluegill
- Spring
- Bluegill are on the beds in firm-bottomed shallows, in colonies of dozens. On a clear lake those colonies sit deeper than you expect.
- Early summer
- Bluegill are off the beds and onto the weed edges and brush, the biggest ones pulling out first.
- Summer
- Bluegill are on the deep weedline of a stratified lake, sliding out as the surface starts back down. With 68% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Bluegill are back up onto the flats and into the last green weeds, feeding hard while the shallows still hold heat.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Bluegill | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | 8" | — |
| 2021 | — | 8" | — |
| 2019 | 24" | 8" | 33" |
| 2014 | 24" | 8" | 29" |
| 2009 | 24" | 8" | 29" |
| 2004 | 28" | 7" | 25" |
| 1999 | 19" | 8" | 22" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Bluegill · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 306,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 306,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 306,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 306,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 306,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Deer Lake is a 457-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately five miles north of Battle Lake, MN. Deer Lake is connected to Otter Tail Lake via the Otter Tail River. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 26 feet; however, 67% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. Historical secchi disk readings have ranged from 5.5 to 9.8 feet.
The majority of the shoreline of Deer Lake has been extensively developed with homes and cabins. A DNR owned public access is located on the southeast shoreline where the Otter Tail River enters the lake. There are remnant stands of hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice scattered along the east and west shorelines of the lake. These emergent plants provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical in maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms from wave erosion and help absorb pollutants and excess nutrients. Emergent plants also provide critical spawning habitat for several fish species including Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for many species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants cannot be removed without a DNR permit.
Read the full DNR narrative
A reduced daily bag limit regulation for sunfish (10 per day) was implemented in 2021. The objective of the regulation is to improve and maintain the quality of the Bluegill size structure. A special spring trapnetting survey was conducted to collect baseline data on the Bluegill population, which will be used for regulation evaluation purposes in future surveys. The Bluegill population is abundant and has a moderate quality size structure. Sixty-three percent of the Bluegill sample was 7.0 inches or greater in length, while 7% was 8.0 inches or greater in length. Age data indicate that Bluegill reproduction is consistently good. Bluegills attain an average length of 8.0 inches at eight years of age.
Anglers can also maintain or improve the quality of angling by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large size fish while allowing the harvest of more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future.
Deer Lake was designated as infested with zebra mussels in 2017. Aquatic invasive species are threatening Minnesota waters. Aquatic invasive species can potentially harm water quality, water recreation, aquatic habitat, native species, and fish populations. Anglers can help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species by following watercraft transportation laws.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Deer Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Deer Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Deer Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Deer Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- East Lost Lake · 483 ac · 1.2 mi
- Twin Lake · 369 ac · 3.1 mi
- First Silver Lake · 529 ac · 4.2 mi
- North Turtle Lake · 1,773 ac · 4.2 mi
- Anna Lake · 598 ac · 4.3 mi
- Elbow Lake · 188 ac · 4.5 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 849 ac · 5 mi
- Otter Tail Lake · 14,079 ac · 5.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Deer Lake?
Deer Lake reaches 26 ft at its deepest point; about 68% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Deer Lake?
Deer Lake covers 447 acres with about 3.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Deer Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Deer Lake average 9.1 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Deer Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, lake sturgeon, rock bass.
Is Deer Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Deer Lake have a public access?
Yes. Deer Lake has one public access site: Deer Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Deer Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1999.
When was Deer Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Deer Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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