Deer Lake vs Pickerel Lake
Water quality, depth, fish species, and recreation comparison.
Pickerel Lake has a higher water quality grade (A, Excellent) than Deer Lake (B, Good). Both are in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
B
Deer Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft.
A
Pickerel Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota
Good clarity, visible to about 14.1 ft.
Side-by-Side Metrics
| Metric | Deer Lake | Pickerel Lake |
|---|---|---|
| Overall Grade | B (Good) | A (Excellent) |
| Water Clarity | 11.5 ft | 14.1 ft |
| Phosphorus | 21 µg/L | 12 µg/L |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | No data | No data |
| Maximum Depth | 26 ft | 78 ft |
| Surface Area | 447.07 acres | 848.7 acres |
| Public Access | Yes | Yes |
| Fish Species | 16 | 16 |
| Trophic State | mesotrophic | oligotrophic |
Bold value = better for that metric (lower phosphorus / chlorophyll = cleaner; higher Secchi / depth / species count = better).
Verdict
Pickerel Lake wins on overall water quality with a Grade A versus Deer Lake's Grade B. Water clarity: 14.1 ft vs 11.5 ft. For fishing diversity, Pickerel Lake also leads with 16 species.