Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 1, 2024
Eagle Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Eagle Lake average 11.12 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 1, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–22 inches. In Otter Tail County, Minnesota, Eagle Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 22.6 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at Eagle Lake
10 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Eagle Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Eagle Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Eagle Lake average 11.12 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 1, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–22 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Eagle Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-01 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 166.31 | — |
| Bluegill | 51.63 | 0.16 lb |
| Spottail Shiner | 48.45 | — |
| Walleye | 11.12 | 1.08 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 10.74 | 0.68 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This is not a weekly bite report.
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
Walleye
Yellow Bass
From the 2024-07-01 survey
Eagle Lake is an 845-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in south-central Otter Tail County approximately eight miles south of Battle Lake, MN. Eagle Lake is located within the Pomme de Terre River Watershed; however, there are no inlets or outlets connected to the lake. The immediate watershed is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Eagle Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EagleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Eagle (1155)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — EagleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — EaglePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Eagle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Eagle Lake average 11.12 walleye per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 10 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated July 1, 2024. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 8–22 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 10 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Eagle Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Eagle Lake is dated July 1, 2024. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Eagle Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Eagle Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Eagle Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Eagle Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class — a lake can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Eagle Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Eagle Lake
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