Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Donalds Lake Fishing guide
Donalds Lake sits in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, and covers 166 acres, reaching 43 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 13.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeJust a few4.8per gill net15"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 31 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 31 fish
2022Lengths measured · 61 fish
2015Lengths measured · 58 fish
2010Lengths measured · 58 fish
2005BluegillFair numbers27.9per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 252 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 252 fish
2022Lengths measured · 231 fish
2015Lengths measured · 849 fish
2010Lengths measured · 921 fish
2005CrappieJust a few2.2per trap net10"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 20 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 20 fish
2022Lengths measured · 3 fish
2015Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 20 fish
2010Lengths measured · 7 fish
2005Only 7 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 Donalds Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 13.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 43 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 13.4 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 43 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 24" | 15" | 33" |
| 2015 | 20" | 15" | 34" |
| 2010 | 24" | 15" | 29" |
| 2005 | 26" | 18" | 32" |
| 2000 | 26" | 14" | 27" |
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 · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
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 | 84,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 84,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 683 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 1,491 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 189 yearlings · 100 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Donalds Lake is a 168-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County and within the city limits of Ottertail City, Minnesota. The surrounding watershed is primarily municipal. The maximum depth of Donalds Lake is 43 feet; however, 50% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. The secchi disk reading during the 2022 survey was 15.6 feet. Previous secchi disk reading have ranged from 6.0 to 15.0 feet.
Moderate development exists around Donalds Lake. A city owned concrete public access is located on the west shoreline. Parking space is limited and access is gained by navigating off of a city street. The shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and gravel. Emergent vegetation (hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice) is located in various areas throughout the lake. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush and cattail provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms, and can actually absorb and break down polluting chemicals. Emergent plants provide spawning areas for fish such as northern pike, largemouth bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit.
Read the full DNR narrative
A moderate density Northern Pike population exists; however, the size structure is poor. Northern Pike ranged in length from 12.8 to 33.1 inches with an average length and weight of 16.3 inches and 0.9 pounds.
The Bluegill population is extremely abundant and has a high quality size structure. Eighty-five percent of the Bluegill sample was 7.0 inches or greater in length, while 44% was 8.0 inches or greater in length. Bluegills attain an average length of 8.1 inches at eight years of age.
The Black Crappie population is moderately abundant with a quality size structure. Black Crappies ranged in length from 8.5 to 12.2 inches with an average length of 9.9 inches. Fifty percent of the crappies were 10.0 inches or greater in length. Black Crappies attain an average length of 10.2 inches at five years of age.
Anglers can maintain or improve the quality of fishing by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large-size fish while allowing the harvest of the 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 opportunities to catch more large fish in the future.
Donalds Lake is not listed as an infested water. 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
Donalds Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Donalds 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
- Donalds Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Donalds Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Portage (main bay) Lake · 269 ac · 1 mi
- Buchanan Lake · 964 ac · 2.1 mi
- West Leaf Lake · 700 ac · 2.8 mi
- Middle Leaf Lake · 404 ac · 4.7 mi
- Round Lake · 273 ac · 4.9 mi
- Rush Lake · 5,276 ac · 5.1 mi
- Ethel Lake · 191 ac · 5.4 mi
- Otter Tail Lake · 14,079 ac · 6 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Donalds Lake?
Donalds Lake reaches 43 ft at its deepest point; about 51% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Donalds Lake?
Donalds Lake covers 166 acres with about 2.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Donalds Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Donalds Lake average 13.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Donalds Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Donalds Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Donalds Lake have a public access?
Yes. Donalds Lake has one public access site: Donalds Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Donalds 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 2000.
When was Donalds Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Donalds Lake in 2022, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Donalds Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Donalds Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report