Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best crappie lakes in Otter Tail County
The DNR has surveyed crappie in 138 lakes in Otter Tail County. Of those, 77 earn a grade on this site, and the top 10 are ranked below. Grades come from survey catch rates, fish size and trophy history, scored the same way for every lake on the live map.
North Turtle Lake is first at A+. The DNR caught 39.6 crappie per trap net in the 2025 survey, and the biggest was 13 inches. Dead Lake is second at A, with 2.6 crappie per trap net in the 2024 survey, and 25% of its crappie measured over 10 inches. Fish Lake is third at A−, and its biggest crappie was 11 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 10" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | North Turtle Lake | A+ | 1,773 | 39.6/net in trap nets | 18% | 13" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 2 | Dead Lake | A | 7,546 | 2.6/net in trap nets | 25% | 12" | 0.3 lb | 2024 |
| 3 | Fish Lake | A− | 489 | 48.7/net in trap nets | 3% | 11" | 0.2 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Dayton Hollow Reservoir | A− | 227 | 5.2/net in trap nets | 71% | 14" | 0.6 lb | 2016 |
| 5 | Little McDonald Lake | A− | 1,316 | 3.6/net in trap nets | 25% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2020 |
| 6 | Rush Lake | A− | 5,276 | 1.3/net in trap nets | 54% | 13" | 0.5 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Clitherall Lake | A− | 2,540 | 2.5/net in trap nets | 30% | 12" | 0.4 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Buchanan Lake | A− | 964 | 5.1/net in trap nets | 17% | 11" | 0.3 lb | 2014 |
| 9 | Bass Lake | A− | 311 | 13.3/net in trap nets | 7% | 10" | 0.3 lb | 2021 |
| 10 | East Leaf Lake | A− | 423 | 8.2/net in trap nets | 1% | 12" | 0.1 lb | 2022 |
Also ranked in Otter Tail County: Walleye · Northern pike · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best crappie lakes in Minnesota
Grades are based on Minnesota DNR survey data: how many fish the DNR caught (scaled by lake size), how many reached quality size, and the biggest fish measured. Each lake's page has the numbers behind its grade. The table shows each lake's most recent survey year.