Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Sewell Lake Fishing guide
Sewell Lake sits in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, and covers 369 acres, reaching 52 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6.3 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers4.1per gill net16"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 42 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 5 fish
2024Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 37 fish
2023Lengths measured · 29 fish
2018Lengths measured · 51 fish
2013Largemouth bassOne of the best around124.9per hr (electrofishing)15"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 187 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 8 fish
2024Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 158 fish
2024Lengths measured · 21 fish
2023Lengths measured · 67 fish
2018Northern pikeJust a few4.9per gill net20"Typical29"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 3 fish
2024Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 44 fish
2023Lengths measured · 67 fish
2018Lengths measured · 136 fish
2013BluegillJust a few25per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 254 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 225 fish
2024Lengths measured · 29 fish
2023Lengths measured · 462 fish
2018Lengths measured · 1320 fish
2013CrappieJust a few1per trap net11"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 9 fish
2024Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2023Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2018Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
2013Yellow perchExcellent numbers16.6per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 150 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 1 fish
2024Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 149 fish
2023Lengths measured · 10 fish
2018Lengths measured · 310 fish
2013Rates 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 Sewell Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 52 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.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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 52 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 | Largemouth bass | Walleye | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 19" | 25" | 27" |
| 2023 | 17" | 24" | 29" |
| 2018 | 20" | 26" | 35" |
| 2013 | 19" | 30" | 34" |
| 2008 | 19" | 27" | 36" |
| 2003 | 20" | 28" | 32" |
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:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 268,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 50,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 168,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 168,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 168,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 636 yearlings · 343 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Sewell Lake was conducted on June 24th-25th, 2024, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations. A 50-foot seine was used to sample seven stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at one station. Two stations were not seined due to thick vegetation and soft sediments. Nearshore sampling captured eighteen species of fish including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Pugnose Shiner) and four that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured ten species of fish, and no species captured were intolerant of disturbance. Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Common Carp and Bluegill comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net were combined with gill net data from August 2023 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish and Common Carp). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Results from this survey provide evidence that the fish community in Sewell Lake is adversely impacted by stressors, as indicated by an FIBI score below the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. These results are similar to previous findings which indicated that Sewell Lake was vulnerable to biological impairment. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Pomme de Terre River assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Sewell Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Sewell Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Sewell 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
- Sewell Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Sewell Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Johnson Lake · 419 ac · 2.7 mi
- Jolly Ann Lake · 326 ac · 3.1 mi
- Long Lake · 395 ac · 3.3 mi
- Clear Lake · 399 ac · 4.2 mi
- Stalker Lake · 1,357 ac · 4.5 mi
- Middle Lake · 225 ac · 5.1 mi
- Pelican Lake · 3,761 ac · 6 mi
- Eagle Lake · 907 ac · 6.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Sewell Lake?
Sewell Lake reaches 52 ft at its deepest point; about 46% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Sewell Lake?
Sewell Lake covers 369 acres with about 5.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Sewell Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Sewell Lake average 6.3 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Sewell Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Sewell Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Sewell Lake have a public access?
Yes. Sewell Lake has one public access site: Sewell Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Sewell Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 19"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2003.
When was Sewell Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Sewell Lake in 2024, the most recent of 10 surveys on record.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Sewell Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Sewell Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report