Ochotto Lake

Ochotto Lake comes in at a B on the grading rubric — a respectable showing for a Minnesota lake of its size and depth.

Mesotrophic conditions dominate at Ochotto Lake: enough nutrients for a healthy fishery, not so much that algal blooms become a chronic problem. A maximum depth of 40 ft puts Ochotto Lake in the middle of Minnesota's depth distribution. Ochotto Lake is small — 40 acres alongside 1.2 miles of shoreline — which makes it sensitive to even modest changes in watershed runoff or recreational pressure. Ochotto Lake ranks 19 of 55 in Stearns County — solidly in the upper half of the local distribution.

No invasive species are currently listed at Ochotto Lake — the lake remains off the Minnesota infested-waters roster. The fishery is bass-led, with 7 documented species across the lake's records. A documented public access point at Ochotto Lake makes the lake usable for shore fishing, paddle craft, and trailered boats. The lake has a partial ice record — 5 observed ice-outs, centered near Apr 7. The grade is based on limited monitoring — fewer than three independent measurement years contribute, so future updates may shift the letter.