Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Jewett Lake Fishing guide
Jewett Lake covers 747 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 75 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025One of the best around13.1per gill net16"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 150 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 36 fish
2024Lengths measured · 114 fish
2022Lengths measured · 84 fish
2018Lengths measured · 187 fish
2014Largemouth bassJust a few1.4per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 106 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 5 fish
2024Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 101 fish
2022Lengths measured · 82 fish
2018Lengths measured · 161 fish
2014Northern pikeJust a few1.1per gill net26"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 13 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 2 fish
2024Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2022Lengths measured · 23 fish
2018Lengths measured · 14 fish
2014BluegillJust a few14.8per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 445 fish
Recent · 2022 + 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 95 fish
2025Lengths measured · 88 fish
2024Lengths measured · 262 fish
2022Lengths measured · 312 fish
2018No recent survey rating.
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 Jewett Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 12 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 75 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 12 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 75 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" | 8" | 27" |
| 2022 | 24" | 17" | 28" |
| 2018 | 26" | 18" | 31" |
| 2014 | 27" | 18" | 38" |
| 2011 | 25" | 19" | 37" |
| 2008 | 26" | 19" | 39" |
| 2005 | 26" | 18" | 32" |
| 2002 | 27" | 16" | 29" |
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 | Black Crappie | 1,455 yearlings |
| 2025 | Walleye | 6,058 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 5,363 fingerlings · 244 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 3,780 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 10,208 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 3,906 fingerlings · 766 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 2,538 yearlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 3,780 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 10,679 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 3,900 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 150 fingerlings · 3,429 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Jewett Lake is a 737-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in west-central Otter Tail County approximately eight miles north of Fergus Falls, MN. Jewett Lake is located within the Otter Tail River Watershed; however, there are no natural inlets or outlets connected to the lake. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth of Jewett Lake is 75 feet; however, 36% of the lake is less than 15 feet in depth. The Secchi disk reading during the 2022 survey was 22.1 feet. Previous secchi disk readings ranged from 7.1 to 14.4 feet.
The north and east shorelines of Jewett Lake have been extensively developed. Homes and cottages compose most of the development. A DNR owned concrete public access is located off the township road along the north shoreline of the lake. The shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and gravel. Large stands of hardstem bulrush and common cattail are located along the southwest and southeast shorelines. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush and cattail provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical for maintaining good water quality. 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. 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
A large area of hardstem bulrush and common cattail along the southwest shoreline is posted annually as a Largemouth Bass spawning area. Much of this area is located immediately adjacent to an Aquatic Management Area. Restrictions imposed in the spawning area prohibit fishing or motor boating from ice-out to June 30th, inclusive. Suitable spawning habitat for Largemouth Bass, Bluegill, and Black Crappie in Jewett Lake is primarily limited to this posted spawning area.
Jewett Lake can be ecologically classified as a bass-panfish-Walleye type of lake and this is reflected in the assemblage of the fish community. Walleye, Largemouth Bass, and Bluegill are the dominant gamefish species present.
A spring trap netting survey was conducted in 2025 to collect data on the Bluegill population. This was the first targeted assessment for Bluegill on Jewett Lake. Previous Bluegill data was obtained via standard lake survey summer trap netting. Age data indicates that Bluegill reproduction success can be inconsistent in Jewett Lake. This has been reflected through fluctuations in size structure in past surveys. Fish sampled ranged in size from 1.7 to 8.2 inches in length, with 4% of the Bluegills measuring 8.0 inches or greater. Bluegills attain an average length of 7.2 inches at seven years of age.
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 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 more opportunities to catch large fish in the future.
Jewett Lake was listed as infested with zebra mussels in 2018. 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
Jewett Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Jewett 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
- Jewett Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Jewett Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Long Lake · 767 ac · 1.3 mi
- Anderson Lake · 89 ac · 4.2 mi
- Heilberger Lake · 221 ac · 4.7 mi
- Twenty-one Lake · 142 ac · 6.7 mi
- Fish Lake · 1,078 ac · 6.7 mi
- Hoot Lake · 161 ac · 7.4 mi
- Wright Lake · 67 ac · 8 mi
- West Lost Lake · 795 ac · 8.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Jewett Lake?
Jewett Lake reaches 75 ft at its deepest point; about 35% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Jewett Lake?
Jewett Lake covers 747 acres with about 4.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Jewett Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Jewett Lake average 12 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Jewett Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass, channel catfish.
Is Jewett Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked black crappie and walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Jewett Lake have a public access?
Yes. Jewett Lake has one public access site: Jewett Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Jewett 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 2002.
When was Jewett Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Jewett Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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