Fish Lake
Fish Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 69 ft. Surface area: 292.59 acres.
- Clarity
- 18 ft
- Typical in August
- 66°F
- Max depth
- 69 ft
- Area
- 293 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- No
- Ice-out
- Apr 15
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Fish Lake is a 293-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 69 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. No public access — the lake is private or restricted. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Fish Lake ranks #12 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. 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)
Crystal clear, you can see 18 ft down. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.2 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 18 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.2 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Fish Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Fish 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
Fish Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 65°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 69°F) and coldest in May (about 51°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 119 field readings (2010–2021) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Fish Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Fish Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (73,790 cells/mL) on May 16, 2026.
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 | 69 ft |
| Surface Area | 293 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 5 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 43% |
| Public Access | No |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Fish Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
3 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2008-07-14 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 20.23 | 0.16 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 4.73 | 0.7 lb |
| Northern Pike | 4.23 | 1.31 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 4.05 | 0.27 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 2.32 | 1.13 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.30 | 0.23 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
Northern Pike
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2008-07-14 survey
Fish Lake is a 267-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in northwest Otter Tail County nine miles northeast of Pelican Rapids, MN. A portion of Fish Lake is also referred to as Bass Lake. Fish Lake is connected to Pelican Lake by a navigable channel. The immediate watershed is composed of mixed hardwood…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fish Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — FishFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | -0.062 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.31 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | +0.04 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (7 observations).
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2015-04-11 (2015) | 2008-05-02 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2006-11-30 (2006) | 2006-11-30 (2006) |
Most recent ice-out: 2015-04-11
EPA Impairment Status
Fish Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0786-00 · Official waterbody report · Matched by proximity (2.65 km)
County Ranking
Ranked #12 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Fish Lake
What is the water quality grade for Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 18 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.2 µg/L. Maximum depth: 69 ft. Surface area: 292.59 acres.
Is Fish Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Fish Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.2 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in August, from 119 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2021). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Fish Lake?
- Fish Lake has a maximum depth of 69 feet. The lake covers 292.59 acres.
What fish are in Fish Lake?
- Fish species found in Fish Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Fish Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Fish Lake thaw?
- Fish Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 15.
Does Fish Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Fish Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (73,790 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
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Where this data comes from
125 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
MNPCA125 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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate