Minnesota · Douglas County
Lottie Lake Fishing guide
Lottie Lake is a 46-acre lake in Douglas County, Minnesota, reaching 31 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 14.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 6 times, most recently in 2018, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 8 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeFair numbers6.5per gill net20"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 15 fish
2018Lengths measured · 14 fish
2008Lengths measured · 22 fish
2002Lengths measured · 18 fish
1997BluegillJust a few19.5per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 89 fish
Recent · 2018Lengths measured · 89 fish
2018Lengths measured · 89 fish
2008Lengths measured · 239 fish
2002Lengths measured · 63 fish
1997Rates 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 Lottie Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 14.8 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. With 88% 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 14.8 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 88% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 19" | 28" | 15" |
| 2008 | 18" | 29" | 13" |
| 2002 | — | 30" | — |
| 1997 | 28" | 34" | 8" |
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 · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Swim Jig + Paddletail Trailer
3.5–4.5" paddletail trailer on a bullet-nosed swim jig
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 2018 survey
North Union, Stony, and Lottie (Taylor) lakes form a chain of lakes between Brophy and Cowdry Lakes in Douglas County. Lottie Lake is the lower lake in the chain and discharges to Lake Cowdry. None of these three small basins have public landings, but anglers can utilize access sites on Cowdry and Brophy Lakes and navigate small watercraft throughout the chain via flowage channels. Access to these lakes with larger, high profile boats is constrained by bridge crossings and road culverts.
The lakes are small and relatively unique in that shoreline development is limited and much of the natural shoreline remains intact. Water quality and clarity are very good. Water transparency at time of the early August survey was measured at 19.0 feet. Near-shore soils support lush vegetative growth including bulrushes and water lilies. These habitat characteristics are ideal for Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and Bluegill.
Read the full DNR narrative
Bluegills are abundant in Lottie Lake and accounted for most of the total gamefish catch. Many of the Bluegills caught in the survey were small, but some fish over 8 inches were observed. Average length of Bluegill captures was 5.8 inches. Black Crappies catches were low, but crappies are typically difficult to catch in mid-summer surveys. Crappies are likely more abundant than reflected in survey catch data. Northern Pike are moderately abundant in Lottie Lake. Most of the pike caught in the survey were less than 22 inches long, however pike over 30 inches long have been observed in past surveys. Navigation restrictions prevented access with proper equipment to survey the Largemouth Bass population. Only a few Largemouth Bass were caught in the survey nets, but habitat conditions are excellent for Largemouth Bass and bass are likely abundant.
Anglers and other outdoor recreationists looking for a quiet lake should check out the North Union, Stony, and Lottie lake chain. This chain of lakes provides a remote lake setting in close proximity to the city of Alexandria.
Lottie Lake was designated as an infested water in 2011 after discovery of zebra mussels in upstream lakes. Recreational users should take necessary precautions to prevent further spread of invasive species. Drain all water and remove all aquatic vegetation from your boat and trailer when leaving any body of water. Updated information on invasive species infestations can be found on the MN DNR website.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Lottie Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Lottie 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.
DNR bathymetry
Lottie Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lake Stony · 87 ac · 0.5 mi
- Lake Cowdrey · 243 ac · 0.5 mi
- Lake Brophy · 297 ac · 0.7 mi
- North Union Lake · 118 ac · 0.9 mi
- Lake Latoka · 767 ac · 1.9 mi
- Lake Darling · 1,050 ac · 1.9 mi
- Lake Louise · 215 ac · 2 mi
- Lake Winona · 213 ac · 2.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Lottie Lake?
Lottie Lake reaches 31 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 6 ft; about 88% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Lottie Lake?
Lottie Lake covers 46 acres with about 2.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Lottie Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Lottie Lake average 14.8 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Lottie Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2018) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Lottie Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Lottie Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
How big do walleye get in Lottie Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 19"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1997.
When was Lottie Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Lottie Lake in 2018, the most recent of 6 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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