Minnesota · Otter Tail County
McDonald Lake Fishing guide
McDonald Lake sits in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, and covers 561 acres, reaching 33 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 11 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 5 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.4per gill net19"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Largemouth bassGood numbers57.9per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 100 fish
Recent · 2006Lengths measured · 19 fish
2016Lengths measured · 100 fish
2006Northern pikeGood numbers11.3per gill net17"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 115 fish
BluegillOne of the best around78.9per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 992 fish
CrappieJust a few0.7per trap net11"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 155 fish
Recent · 2006 + 2022Lengths measured · 146 fish
2022Lengths measured · 86 fish
2016Lengths measured · 9 fish
2006Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
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 McDonald Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11 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.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
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 11 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.
- 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.
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 | Crappie | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | — | 13" | — |
| 2016 | — | 13" | 16" |
| 2006 | 27" | 12" | 19" |
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
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
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
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 | 148,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 2,850 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 1,235 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 851 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 820 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Schwartz Lake is a 489-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in north-central Otter Tail County approximately two miles west of Dent, MN. Schwartz Lake is connected to Big McDonald Lake via a shallow channel along the northwest shoreline. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 33 feet; however, 60% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. Historical secchi disk readings have ranged from 11.0 to 13.6 feet.
Shoreline development is limited to the south shoreline. A DNR owned concrete public water access is located along the southwest shoreline. Shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and gravel. Areas of hardstem bulrush and common cattail are located throughout the lake. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush and cattail provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms, and can actually 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 nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit.
Read the full DNR narrative
A spring trapnetting survey was conducted to analyze the Black Crappie population. Catch and length data indicate that an abundant Black Crappie population with a high quality size structure exists in Schwartz Lake. Black Crappies ranged in length from 7.4 to 13.9 inches with an average length of 11.4 inches. Eighty-four percent of the Black Crappies were 10.0 inches or greater in length and 36% were 12.0 inches or greater in length. Black Crappies attain an average length of 10.8 inches at five years of age.
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 more opportunities to catch large fish in the future.
Schwartz Lake was listed as infested with zebra mussels in 2019. Aquatic invasive species are threatening Minnesota waters. The non-native 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
McDonald Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on McDonald 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
- McDonald Lake, Seclusion Point (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
McDonald Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Big McDonald Lake · 992 ac · 1 mi
- West McDonald Lake · 597 ac · 1.7 mi
- Round Lake · 173 ac · 1.8 mi
- Hoffman Lake · 157 ac · 2.3 mi
- Little McDonald Lake · 1,316 ac · 3.5 mi
- Paul Lake · 347 ac · 3.6 mi
- Sybil Lake · 683 ac · 4.2 mi
- Star Lake · 4,486 ac · 4.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is McDonald Lake?
McDonald Lake reaches 33 ft at its deepest point; about 53% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is McDonald Lake?
McDonald Lake covers 561 acres with about 7.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in McDonald Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on McDonald Lake average 11 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in McDonald Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is McDonald Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does McDonald Lake have a public access?
Yes. McDonald Lake has one public access site: McDonald Lake, Seclusion Point (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in McDonald Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2006.
When was McDonald Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed McDonald Lake in 2022, the most recent of 5 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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