Deer Lake vs Pickerel Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Deer Lake and Pickerel Lake read the same on nutrients and algae. Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Deer Lake and Pickerel Lake are both in Minnesota — a same-state head-to-head where the comparison comes down to lake-specific differences in depth, watershed, and monitoring history rather than the broader state-level water-quality regime. These two sit close on the readings, Deer Lake versus Pickerel Lake. The deciding factors for a recreational visitor are likely physical (depth, access, fish species) rather than water-quality differences.
With readings this close, the choice between the two lakes turns on non-water-quality factors: depth, fish species, public access, distance from home. The per-lake pages below cover all of those.
Deer Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 12.3 ft.
Pickerel Lake
Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Deer Lake | Pickerel Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | 12.3 ft | 14.1 ft Better |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | 12 µg/L Better |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 4.8 µg/L | 3.3 µg/L Better |
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft | 78 ft Better |
| Surface Area | 447 acres | 849 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 16 | 16 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | mesotrophic |
A green ✓ marks the better value for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better). Surface area and trophic state carry no tick — a bigger lake is not a better lake.
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Verdict
Both lakes earn the same Grade A. The tiebreakers come down to clarity (Deer Lake: 12.3 ft, Pickerel Lake: 14.1 ft) and what you want from the lake. Deer Lake matches its peer on species count.
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Where to stay near Deer Lake and Pickerel Lake
Compare cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals around Deer Lake and Pickerel Lake. Both lakes are pinned on the map, so you can see which stays sit nearer the one you pick. Switch to Satellite to see how close each is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Deer Lake and Pickerel Lake
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Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.