Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Fish Lake Fishing guide
Fish Lake sits in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, and covers 489 acres, reaching 17 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 8.6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.6per gill net13"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2012 + 2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2025Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 17 fish
2012Lengths measured · 36 fish
2006Lengths measured · 45 fish
2000Largemouth bassGood numbers75.7per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 82 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 82 fish
2025Lengths measured · 61 fish
2018Lengths measured · 50 fish
2012Lengths measured · 1 fish
2006Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeFair numbers7.1per gill net22"Typical32"Biggest
Lengths measured · 69 fish
Recent · 2012Lengths measured · 69 fish
2012Lengths measured · 36 fish
2006Lengths measured · 69 fish
2000BluegillFair numbers39.8per trap net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 481 fish
Recent · 2012 + 2025Lengths measured · 105 fish
2025Lengths measured · 366 fish
2018Lengths measured · 376 fish
2012Lengths measured · 330 fish
2006CrappieOne of the best around48.7per trap net8"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 509 fish
Recent · 2012 + 2025Lengths measured · 7 fish
2025Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 40 fish
2018Lengths measured · 502 fish
2012Lengths measured · 74 fish
2006Yellow perchExcellent numbers21.2per gill net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 206 fish
Recent · 2012Lengths measured · 206 fish
2012Lengths measured · 202 fish
2006Lengths measured · 32 fish
2000Rates 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 Fish Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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. With 87% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 17-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 87% 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. A 17-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Largemouth bass | Walleye | Crappie |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 18" | 20" | 10" |
| 2018 | 18" | — | 12" |
| 2012 | 19" | 27" | 11" |
| 2006 | 12" | 26" | 9" |
| 2000 | — | 17" | 13" |
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:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Flipping/Punching Creature Bait
4" beaver/creature-style bait
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Crappie · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Crappie · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
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 | 428,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 5,650 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 428,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 5,800 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 428,000 fry |
| 2020 | Walleye | 3,895 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 428,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 4,160 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 450,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 2,500 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Fish Lake is a 435-acre eutrophic (fertile) lake located in southeastern Otter Tail County approximately three miles southwest of Parkers Prairie, MN. The immediate watershed consists primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 17 feet; however, 98% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth.
Shoreline development is very limited. A DNR owned concrete public water access is located off of County Road 79 along the east shoreline of the lake. Shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and gravel. Emergent vegetation (hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice) is prevalent throughout the lake. Emergent plants are important because they provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms from erosion and can even absorb and break down polluting chemicals. Emergent plants provide spawning habitat for fish species like Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological importance, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit. To maintain the excellent water quality and angling that this lake has to offer, it is imperative to preserve the quality of the aquatic habitat.
Read the full DNR narrative
Fish Lake is subject to periodic winterkills; therefore, fish populations can fluctuate dependent on the frequency and extent of winterkill events. The most recent partial winterkill occurred in the winter of 1996-97. The Parkers Prairie Sportsman's Club operates an aeration unit during severe winters to minimize winterkill.
A spring trap netting survey was conducted in 2025 to collect data on the Bluegill population. This was the second survey specifically targeting Bluegill on Fish Lake. Bluegill are abundant and quality fish are present as well. Age data indicates that Bluegill recruitment has been inconsistent in recent years. As such, abundance and size structure of the population can vary over time. Fish sampled ranged in size from 3.9 to 10.3 inches in length, with 77% of the Bluegills measuring 7.0 inches or greater. Bluegills attain an average length of 8.6 inches at seven years of age.
There are special fish harvest regulations in effect for Fish Lake. These include a reduced daily limit of 5 sunfish and 5 crappies. Anglers can maintain 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.
Fish 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
Fish Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Fish 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
- Fish Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Fish Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lake Adley · 241 ac · 3.4 mi
- Vermont Lake · 342 ac · 3.6 mi
- Block Lake · 290 ac · 4.5 mi
- Lake Miltona · 5,731 ac · 6.4 mi
- Lake Irene · 639 ac · 6.9 mi
- Indian Lake · 99 ac · 8.1 mi
- Lake Aaron · 610 ac · 9.5 mi
- Mill Pond · 54 ac · 9.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Fish Lake?
Fish Lake reaches 17 ft at its deepest point; about 87% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Fish Lake?
Fish Lake covers 489 acres with about 11.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Fish Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Fish Lake average 8.6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Fish Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Fish Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Fish Lake have a public access?
Yes. Fish Lake has one public access site: Fish Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Fish Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 18"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2000.
When was Fish Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Fish Lake in 2025, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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