Little Pelican Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota366 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Pelican Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 2 aquatic invasives
- 25 ft max depth
- Public access
Little Pelican Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 366.1 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 1999 caught 2.56 walleye per gill net at Little Pelican Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Pelican Lake is a 366-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 25 feet (10-foot average). Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 2 documented fish species including black crappie and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Little Pelican Lake ranks #35 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-25. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Little Pelican Lake covers about 370 acres in Otter Tail County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 18, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Little Pelican Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Little Pelican Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water11.5 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 18
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Pelican Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Little Pelican Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Pelican Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Good clarity, visible to about 11.5 ft. Phosphorus 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 4.3 µg/L. TSI 44.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 11.5ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 17µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 4.3µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 44 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Little Pelican Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Pelican Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 71°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (61°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 31 field readings (2010–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Pelican Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 1999 caught 2.56 walleye per gill net at Little Pelican Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Pelican Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-04-29 (Targeted Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2024-04-29 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 23.76 | 3–8 in 2018-05-23 | 0.21 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 19.95 | 6–12 in 1999-06-14 | 0.44 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 10.14 | 3–8 in 1999-06-14 | 0.3 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 9.06 | 6–14 in 1999-06-14 | 0.39 lb |
| Northern Pike | 6.40 | 12–33 in 1999-06-14 | 1.37 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 5.83 | 4–9 in 1999-06-14 | 0.19 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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
Black Bullhead
Hybrid Sunfish
Yellow Bullhead
From the 2024-04-29 survey
Little Pelican Lake is a 345-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in northwest Otter Tail County approximately six miles northwest of Vergas, MN. Little Pelican Lake is part of the Pelican River watershed. The Pelican River inlet is located along the northeast shoreline of the lake while the outlet is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Pelican Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little PelicanFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
25 ft
Average depth
10 ft
Surface area
366 acres
Shoreline
7.2 mi
Littoral zone
70%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
161 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,312 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Pelican Lake (East)Public
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Pelican Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Pelican 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.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Pelican Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Little Pelican Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Pelican Lake
- → Little Pelican Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Pelican Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Pelican Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Pelican Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
Water Quality Trend: Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Stable6 years
Phosphorus
Improving-1.3 µg/L/yr6 years
Chlorophyll-a
Improving-0.24 µg/L/yr6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 18
Earliest Apr 11, 2005 · Latest May 10, 2013
Typical ice-in
Nov 25
Earliest Nov 11, 2017 · Latest Nov 28, 2006
Most recent ice-out
May 10
2013
6 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Little Pelican Lake
Where is Little Pelican Lake?
- Little Pelican Lake is a lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Pelican Lake?
- Little Pelican Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 11.5 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 17 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 4.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 25 ft. Surface area: 366.1 acres.
Is Little Pelican Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Pelican Lake?
- Little Pelican Lake typically sits around 66°F at the surface in September, from 31 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Pelican Lake?
- Little Pelican Lake has a maximum depth of 25 feet and an average depth of 10 feet. The lake covers 366.1 acres.
What fish are in Little Pelican Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Pelican Lake include black crappie, bluegill. Little Pelican Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Pelican Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 14, 1999 caught 2.56 walleye per gill net at Little Pelican Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Pelican Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Little Pelican Lake thaw?
- Little Pelican Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 25. The open water season is approximately 221 days.
Are there boat ramps on Little Pelican Lake?
- Little Pelican Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Pelican Lake (East). Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Pelican Lake?
- Little Pelican Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Little Pelican Lake across LakeQuality
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Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where this data comes from
119 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
MNPCA119 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)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from 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
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate