Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Leek Lake Fishing guide
Leek Lake covers 621 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 76 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers1.9per gill net19"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 19 fish
2019Lengths measured · 27 fish
2014Lengths measured · 46 fish
2009Lengths measured · 46 fish
2004Largemouth bassPresent (last recorded 2019)0.6per gill net13"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 18 fish
2019Lengths measured · 8 fish
2014Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
2009Lengths measured · 35 fish
2004No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers7.8per gill net20"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 76 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 76 fish
2019Lengths measured · 76 fish
2014Lengths measured · 59 fish
2009Lengths measured · 176 fish
2004BluegillJust a few18.3per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 218 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 218 fish
2019Lengths measured · 363 fish
2014Lengths measured · 433 fish
2009Lengths measured · 714 fish
2004CrappieJust a few0.5per trap net10"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 197 fish
Recent · 2019 + 2025Lengths measured · 96 fish
2025Lengths measured · 101 fish
2019Lengths measured · 165 fish
2014Lengths measured · 145 fish
2009Rates 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 Leek Lake through the year
Crappie
- Spring
- Crappie are up in the back bays and against wood in a few feet of water, spawning shallower than most people fish for them. At 12.8 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Crappie are pulling off the bays to the first deep weed edge and brush, still reachable shallow at dusk.
- Summer
- Crappie are over the basin of a stratified lake, well off any structure, which is why summer netting barely catches them inshore. On a lake that drops to 76 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Crappie are schooled along the deep weedline and the basin edge, pushing shallow to feed at dusk while the water still turns over slowly.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 12.8 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 76 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.
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 | Crappie | Walleye | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 13" | — | — |
| 2019 | 12" | 24" | 29" |
| 2014 | 13" | 28" | 28" |
| 2009 | 12" | 28" | 30" |
| 2004 | 12" | 22" | 28" |
| 1999 | 11" | 27" | 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:
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
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
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 2025 survey
Leek (Trowbridge) Lake is a 609-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in north-central Otter Tail County approximately three miles northwest of Vergas, MN. Leek Lake is part of the Otter Tail River Watershed. Two small intermittent inlets are located along the southeast shoreline and one intermittent outlet is located along the north shoreline. Both inlets and the outlet are not navigable. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with mixed hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth of Leek Lake is 76 feet; however, 45% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. The Secchi disk reading during the 2019 lake survey was 15.5 feet. Previous Secchi disk readings ranged from 6.2 to 13.0 feet.
The majority of the shoreline of Leek Lake has been extensively developed. The development consists primarily of homes, cottages, and resorts. A DNR owned concrete public access is located off a township road along the southwest shoreline of the lake. The shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and rubble. The substrate of the bay areas is predominately muck. Large stands of hardstem bulrush are scattered along various shorelines of the lake. Common cattail is prevalent in several of the bays. Plants such as bulrush and cattail provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical for maintaining good water quality. Emergent aquatic plants protect shorelines and lake bottoms and 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. 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
Black Crappie, Bluegill, Northern Pike, and Largemouth Bass are the dominant gamefish species in the fish community of Leek Lake. The prolificacy of these species can be attributed to the abundance of suitable spawning habitat that is available.
A targeted spring trap netting survey was conducted to analyze the Black Crappie population in 2025. Catch data indicate that Black Crappies are very abundant. The 2019 and 2020-year classes are strong and are currently providing excellent angling opportunities. Black Crappies ranged in length from 7.1 to 13.6 inches with an average length of 11.2 inches. Ninety-two percent of the crappies were 10.0 inches or greater in length. Black Crappie growth rates are fast with an average length of 11.1 inches at five years of age.
There are no special or experimental fish harvest regulations in effect for Leek Lake. Anglers can maintain the quality of fishing by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large 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.
Leek Lake is designated as an infested water. Zebra mussels and flowering rush were documented in 2021 and 2024, respectively. 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
Leek Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Leek 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
- Leek Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Leek Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Sauer Lake · 193 ac · 2.5 mi
- Mill Lake · 155 ac · 3.3 mi
- Johnson Lake · 183 ac · 3.7 mi
- Scalp Lake · 254 ac · 4.1 mi
- Melissa Lake · 1,850 ac · 4.2 mi
- East Loon Lake · 1,044 ac · 4.2 mi
- Otter Lake · 77 ac · 4.2 mi
- Little Pelican Lake · 366 ac · 4.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Leek Lake?
Leek Lake reaches 76 ft at its deepest point; about 44% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Leek Lake?
Leek Lake covers 621 acres with about 8.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Leek Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Leek Lake average 12.8 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Leek Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Leek Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Leek Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Leek Lake have a public access?
Yes. Leek Lake has one public access site: Leek Lake (trailer launch).
How big do crappie get in Leek Lake?
The biggest crappie measured in recent DNR surveys taped 13"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1999.
When was Leek Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Leek Lake in 2025, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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