Minnesota · Otter Tail County
South Lida Lake Fishing guide
South Lida Lake is a 777-acre lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 48 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5.9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.7per gill net19"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 77 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 19 fish
2024Lengths measured · 58 fish
2021Lengths measured · 93 fish
2018Lengths measured · 118 fish
2015Largemouth bassPresent1.6per gill net14"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 34 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 21 fish
2024Lengths measured · 13 fish
2021Lengths measured · 63 fish
2018Lengths measured · 53 fish
2015Smallmouth bassPresent0.8per gill net10"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 2 fish
2024Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 15 fish
2021Lengths measured · 2 fish
2018Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2015Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers13.4per gill net20"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 281 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 91 fish
2024Lengths measured · 190 fish
2021Lengths measured · 266 fish
2018Lengths measured · 123 fish
2015BluegillPresent6.5per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 524 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022 + 2024Lengths measured · 188 fish
2024Lengths measured · 47 fish
2024Lengths measured · 199 fish
2022Lengths measured · 90 fish
2021CrappiePresent1per gill net9"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 221 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 111 fish
2024Lengths measured · 1 fish
2024Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 88 fish
2021Lengths measured · 21 fish
2021Yellow perchGood numbers4.9per gill net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 103 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 19 fish
2024Lengths measured · 84 fish
2021Lengths measured · 140 fish
2018Lengths measured · 161 fish
2015Rock bassFair numbers1.1per gill net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 1 fish
2024Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
2021Lengths measured · 20 fish
2018Lengths measured · 13 fish
2015Rates 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 South Lida Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 48 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 48 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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 33" | 22" | 14" |
| 2021 | 31" | 24" | 16" |
| 2018 | 32" | 26" | 18" |
| 2015 | 32" | 27" | 18" |
| 2012 | 34" | 27" | 17" |
| 2009 | 32" | 27" | 18" |
| 2006 | 34" | 29" | 15" |
| 2003 | 34" | 26" | 14" |
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:
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
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
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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 | 4,000 yearlings · 533 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 7,350 fingerlings · 838 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 178,000 fry · 3,410 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 178,000 fry · 330 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 178,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
South Lida Lake is an 856-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in northwestern Otter Tail County approximately five miles east of Pelican Rapids, MN. South Lida Lake is connected to North Lida Lake by a navigable culvert under State Highway 108 along the north shoreline of the lake. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of hardwood forest. The maximum depth is 48 feet; however, 42% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. Historical secchi disk readings have ranged from 2.9 to 9.3 feet.
The south and west shorelines of South Lida Lake have been extensively developed with homes and cabins. A majority of the east shoreline is located within the boundaries of Maplewood State Park. A DNR owned concrete public water access is located within the state park along the southeast shoreline. A public swimming beach and campground are also located along the east shoreline in the state park. Large stands of hardstem bulrush and common cattail are scattered along the undeveloped sections of shoreline. 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 important 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 reduced daily bag limit regulation for sunfish (10 per day) was implemented in 2022. The objective of the regulation is to maintain the quality of the Bluegill size structure. A special spring trapnetting survey was conducted to collect data on the Bluegill population, which will be used for regulation evaluation purposes in future surveys. The Bluegill population is extremely abundant and has a quality size structure. Age data indicate that Bluegill reproduction is consistently good. Forty-eight percent of the Bluegill sample was 7.0 inches or greater in length. Bluegills attain an average length of 8.1 inches at seven years of age.
Harvest regulations for Walleye and Black Crappie have also been implemented on South Lida Lake. The Walleye regulation is a 17.0 to 26.0 inch protected slot length limit with one fish over 26.0 inches allowed in possession. The Black Crappie regulation is an 11-inch minimum length limit. The intent of these regulations is to maintain the size structures of these populations.
Anglers can also maintain the quality of angling 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.
South Lida Lake was listed as infested with zebra mussels in 2014. 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
South Lida Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on South Lida 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
- Lida Lake (S) (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
South Lida Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Beers Lake · 317 ac · 2.8 mi
- Twenty-one Lake · 142 ac · 2.8 mi
- North Lida Lake · 5,523 ac · 3.3 mi
- Fladmark Lake · 59 ac · 3.9 mi
- West Silent Lake · 347 ac · 4.7 mi
- Anderson Lake · 89 ac · 5.3 mi
- Crystal Lake · 1,413 ac · 5.7 mi
- Prairie Lake · 1,004 ac · 5.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is South Lida Lake?
South Lida Lake reaches 48 ft at its deepest point; about 46% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is South Lida Lake?
South Lida Lake covers 777 acres with about 9.7 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in South Lida Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on South Lida Lake average 5.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in South Lida Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is South Lida Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2019.
Does South Lida Lake have a public access?
Yes. South Lida Lake has one public access site: Lida Lake (S) (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in South Lida Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 33"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2003.
When was South Lida Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed South Lida Lake in 2024, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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