Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Prairie Lake Fishing guide
Prairie Lake covers 1,004 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 22 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 10.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Excellent numbers6.8per gill net16"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 62 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 62 fish
2019Lengths measured · 45 fish
2013Lengths measured · 60 fish
2009Lengths measured · 63 fish
2005Largemouth bassFair numbers30.6per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 63 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 63 fish
2024Lengths measured · 61 fish
2019Lengths measured · 39 fish
2013Lengths measured · 20 fish
2009Northern pikeJust a few5.4per gill net16"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 60 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 60 fish
2019Lengths measured · 67 fish
2013Lengths measured · 123 fish
2009Lengths measured · 134 fish
2005BluegillFair numbers27.3per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 761 fish
Recent · 2019 + 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 213 fish
2024Lengths measured · 209 fish
2021Lengths measured · 339 fish
2019Lengths measured · 509 fish
2013CrappieJust a few1.6per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2019Lengths measured · 27 fish
2019Lengths measured · 4 fish
2013Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2009Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2005Only 5 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 Prairie Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10.7 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 80% 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 10.7 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. With 80% 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.
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 | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | — | 20" | 8" |
| 2021 | — | — | 8" |
| 2019 | 20" | 19" | 8" |
| 2013 | 24" | 19" | 8" |
| 2009 | 29" | 18" | 8" |
| 2005 | 27" | 18" | 8" |
| 2001 | 28" | 18" | 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 · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round 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
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Bluegill · 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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 801,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 801,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 801,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 801,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 801,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Prairie Lake is a 1,016-acre eutrophic (fertile) lake located in northwestern Otter Tail County. The city of Pelican Rapids, MN abuts the south shoreline of the lake. Prairie Lake is part of the Otter Tail River Watershed. The Pelican River inlet is located along the northeast shoreline while the outlet is located along the south shoreline. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth of Prairie Lake is 22 feet; however, 79% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. Historical secchi disk readings have ranged from 4.0 to 12.5 feet.
The north and east shorelines of Prairie Lake have been extensively developed. Homes and cottages compose the majority of the development. A DNR owned public water access is located off of State Highway 59 along the southeast 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 south, west, and north shorelines. Emergent aquatic plants such as hardstem 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 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 an important nursery area 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
The Prairie Lake Outlet Dam was modified into a natural looking rock arch rapids in March, 2020. The project had multiple benefits including restoring historic fish passage in the Pelican River system, improving safety around the lake outlet, and providing an environmentally friendly permanent fix to an aging dam. There are approximately 29 species of fish that will benefit from river reconnection at this site. This project will reconnect over 21 miles of river within the Otter Tail Watershed. The lead sponsor for the project was the Pelican Group of Lakes Improvement District (PGOLID). The Prairie Lake Association also provided a letter of support for the project. Funding was provided through the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) and the US Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
A spring electrofishing survey was conducted to analyze the Largemouth Bass population. A moderate density Largemouth Bass population with an excellent size structure exists in Prairie Lake. Largemouth Bass ranged in length from 4.2 to 20.3 inches with an average length and weight of 13.8 inches and 1.7 pounds. Largemouth Bass attain an average length of 14.0 inches at five years of age.
A reduced daily bag limit regulation for sunfish (10 per day) was implemented in 2021. The objective of the regulation is to improve and maintain the quality of the Sunfish size structure.
Anglers can also maintain the quality of fishing in Prairie Lake 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.
Prairie Lake was designated as infested with zebra mussels in 2009. 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
Prairie Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Prairie 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
- Prairie Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Prairie Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lizzie (north portion) Lake · 1,913 ac · 4 mi
- Tamarac Lake · 445 ac · 4.5 mi
- North Lida Lake · 5,523 ac · 4.8 mi
- West Olaf Lake · 209 ac · 5.4 mi
- Franklin Lake · 1,088 ac · 5.5 mi
- Crystal Lake · 1,413 ac · 5.7 mi
- South Lida Lake · 777 ac · 5.9 mi
- Fish Lake · 293 ac · 6.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Prairie Lake?
Prairie Lake reaches 22 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 10 ft; about 80% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Prairie Lake?
Prairie Lake covers 1,004 acres with about 7.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Prairie Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Prairie Lake average 10.7 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Prairie Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Prairie Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Prairie Lake have a public access?
Yes. Prairie Lake has one public access site: Prairie Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Prairie Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 20"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2001.
When was Prairie Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Prairie Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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