Minnesota · ranked from DNR surveys
Best northern pike lakes in Otter Tail County
The DNR has surveyed northern pike in 145 lakes in Otter Tail County. Of those, 79 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.
Little Pine Lake is first at A. The DNR caught 9.3 northern pike per gill net in the 2024 survey, and the biggest was 37 inches. Marion Lake is second at A−, with 8.5 northern pike per gill net in the 2025 survey, and 5% of its northern pike measured over 30 inches. North Turtle Lake is third at A−, and its biggest northern pike was 30 inches.
| # | Lake | Grade | Acres | Survey catch rate | Over 30" | Biggest Surveyed | Avg wt | Surveyed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Little Pine Lake | A | 2,080 | 9.3/net in gill nets | 4% | 37" | 2.7 lb | 2024 |
| 2 | Marion Lake | A− | 1,624 | 8.5/net in gill nets | 5% | 34" | 2.6 lb | 2025 |
| 3 | North Turtle Lake | A− | 1,773 | 13.2/net in gill nets | 1% | 30" | 2.9 lb | 2025 |
| 4 | Otter Tail Lake | A− | 14,079 | 2.3/net in gill nets | 11% | 34" | 3.4 lb | 2024 |
| 5 | West Battle Lake | A− | 5,615 | 5.6/net in gill nets | 2% | 31" | 2.1 lb | 2025 |
| 6 | Star Lake | A− | 4,486 | 8.9/net in gill nets | 0% | 33" | 1.4 lb | 2025 |
| 7 | Long Lake | A− | 1,289 | 6.4/net in gill nets | 7% | 37" | 2.6 lb | 2024 |
| 8 | Pelican Lake | A− | 3,962 | 3.9/net in gill nets | 17% | 34" | 3.4 lb | 2025 |
| 9 | Spitzer Lake | A− | 731 | 11.8/net in gill nets | 3% | 34" | 2.1 lb | 2018 |
| 10 | Dead Lake | A− | 7,546 | 5.1/net in gill nets | 2% | 31" | 1 lb | 2024 |
Also ranked in Otter Tail County: Walleye · Largemouth bass · Smallmouth bass · Crappie · Bluegill · Yellow perch
All of Minnesota: Best northern pike 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.