Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Eagle Lake Fishing guide
Eagle Lake covers 907 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 46 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 22.5 ft of visibility. 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
WalleyeOne of the best around13per gill net14"Typical22"Biggest
Lengths measured · 78 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 78 fish
2024Lengths measured · 144 fish
2019Lengths measured · 281 fish
2014Lengths measured · 234 fish
2008Northern pikeJust a few2.7per gill net25"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 16 fish
2024Lengths measured · 5 fish
2019Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
2014Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2008Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
BluegillPresent2per gill net4"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 12 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 12 fish
2024Lengths measured · 17 fish
2019Lengths measured · 464 fish
2014Lengths measured · 770 fish
2008CrappieJust a few2.3per trap net9"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2014Lengths measured · 22 fish
2014Lengths measured · 37 fish
2008Rock bassOne of the best around41.7per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 250 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 250 fish
2024Lengths measured · 140 fish
2019Lengths measured · 206 fish
2014Lengths measured · 47 fish
2008Rates 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 Eagle Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 22.5 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 46 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 22.5 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 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 22" | 14" | 33" |
| 2019 | 19" | 15" | 28" |
| 2014 | 21" | 17" | 22" |
| 2008 | 23" | 15" | 18" |
| 2004 | 26" | 17" | 21" |
| 1999 | 25" | 15" | 30" |
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.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Eagle Lake is an 845-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in south-central Otter Tail County approximately eight miles south of Battle Lake, MN. Eagle Lake is located within the Pomme de Terre River Watershed; however, there are no inlets or outlets connected to the lake. The immediate watershed is composed of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The secchi disk reading during the 2024 survey was 25.6 feet. Previous secchi disk readings have ranged from 14.8 to 25.2 feet.
The majority of the shoreline has been extensively developed. Homes and cabins surround the entire shoreline of the lake. A township owned concrete public access is located in a park along the south shoreline. A public swimming beach is also located in the park. The shoal water substrates consist of sand and gravel. There is no emergent aquatic vegetation present in Eagle Lake.
Read the full DNR narrative
A special gillnetting survey was conducted to analyze the Walleye and Northern Pike populations.
Walleye abundance has consistently remained at a high level. Walleyes ranged in length from 8.4 to 22.4 inches with an average length and weight of 13.8 inches and 1.0 pounds. Walleyes in Eagle Lake attain an average length of 14.1 inches at four years of age.
Northern Pike abundance has consistently remained at a very low level. Northern Pike natural reproduction is extremely limited due to the lack of suitable spawning habitat. Pike ranged in length from 15.1 to 33.1 inches with an average length and weight of 24.5 inches and 3.2 pounds. Northern Pike attain an average length of 25.9 inches at age V.
Anglers can maintain 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.
Eagle Lake was designated as infested with zebra mussels in 2019. 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
Eagle Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Eagle 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
- Eagle Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Eagle Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Middle Lake · 225 ac · 1.4 mi
- Spitzer Lake · 731 ac · 3.4 mi
- Jolly Ann Lake · 326 ac · 3.4 mi
- Clitherall Lake · 2,540 ac · 5.3 mi
- Long Lake · 395 ac · 5.4 mi
- Sewell Lake · 369 ac · 6.5 mi
- Lake Ina · 218 ac · 6.7 mi
- Stalker Lake · 1,357 ac · 7.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Eagle Lake?
Eagle Lake reaches 46 ft at its deepest point; about 17% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Eagle Lake?
Eagle Lake covers 907 acres with about 4.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Eagle Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Eagle Lake average 22.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Eagle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Eagle Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Eagle Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Eagle Lake have a public access?
Yes. Eagle Lake has one public access site: Eagle Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Eagle Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 22"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1999.
When was Eagle Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Eagle Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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