Devil'S Lake
Devil'S Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 67 ft. Surface area: 355.3 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.5 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 67 ft
- Area
- 355 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Devil'S Lake is a 355-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 67 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and brown bullhead. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Devil'S Lake ranks #18 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-17. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Good clarity, visible to about 14.5 ft. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 41.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.5 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 41 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Devil'S Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Devil'S Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
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Water Temperature
Devil'S Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 58°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 33 field readings (2011–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Devil'S Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Devil'S Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (38,019 cells/mL) on November 22, 2025.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 67 ft |
| Surface Area | 355 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 59% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Devils LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Devil'S Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2013-06-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 52.32 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 13.12 | 0.51 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 8.26 | 0.09 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.90 | 0.21 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 4.54 | 0.71 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.31 | 2.46 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Bluegill
Yellow Bass
Yellow Perch
Pumpkinseed
From the 2013-06-17 survey
Devils Lake is a 314-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in northeastern Otter Tail County approximately four miles northwest of Perham, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. There are no navigable inlets or outlets. The maximum depth…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Devil'S Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — DevilsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — DevilsFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — DevilsPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.07 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +0.4 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +0.11 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #18 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Devil'S Lake
What is the water quality grade for Devil'S Lake?
- Devil'S Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 67 ft. Surface area: 355.3 acres.
Is Devil'S Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Devil'S Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 3.3 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Devil'S Lake?
- Devil'S Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 33 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2011–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Devil'S Lake?
- Devil'S Lake has a maximum depth of 67 feet. The lake covers 355.3 acres.
What fish are in Devil'S Lake?
- Fish species found in Devil'S Lake include black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead. Devil'S Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Does Devil'S Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Devil'S Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (38,019 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Devil'S Lake?
- Devil'S Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Devils Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Devil'S Lake across LakeGrade
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Moderate nutrients, good water quality
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Where this data comes from
147 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA147 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (2)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory