Pickerel Lake
Pickerel Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 78 ft. Surface area: 848.7 acres.
- Clarity
- 14.1 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 78 ft
- Area
- 849 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↑ Improving
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 24
- Open water
- 221 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Free interactive depth-contour map of Pickerel Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 80 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Pickerel Lake is a 849-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 78 feet (28-foot average). Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is improving over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and bowfin (dogfish). Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Pickerel Lake ranks #17 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-22. 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 14.1 ft. Phosphorus level: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 3.3 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 14.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 12 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 3.3 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Pickerel Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Pickerel 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
Pickerel Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 78°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 24 field readings (2010–2023) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Pickerel Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pickerel Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (20,137 cells/mL) on December 6, 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 | 78 ft |
| Average Depth | 28 ft |
| Surface Area | 849 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 6.3 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 32% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Twin LakePublic
- Dead Lake (Southwest)Public
- Pickerel LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Pickerel 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
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-08-05 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluntnose Minnow | 171.19 | — |
| MMS | 169.31 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 22.49 | 0.2 lb |
| IOD | 19.18 | — |
| JND | 15.18 | — |
| BKF | 14.73 | — |
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.
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-08-05 survey
Pickerel Lake is an 829-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County one mile north of Maine, MN. Pickerel Lake is located within the Otter Tail River Watershed and there is an un-navigable, intermittent outlet located along the northeast shoreline. The immediate watershed is…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Pickerel Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — PickerelFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Pickerel (1191)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — PickerelFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — PickerelPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↑ Improving
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↑ Improving | +0.111 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↑ Improving | -0.23 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↑ Improving | -0.11 µg/L/yr | 6 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (19 observations).
Estimated open water season: 221 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2012-03-22 (2012) | 2013-05-11 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 2018-11-20 (2018) | 2024-01-05 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-05-04
EPA Impairment Status
Pickerel 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 MN56-0475-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #17 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Pickerel Lake
What is the water quality grade for Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 14.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 12 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 3.3 µg/L. Maximum depth: 78 ft. Surface area: 848.7 acres.
Is Pickerel Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Pickerel 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 Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, from 24 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2023). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has a maximum depth of 78 feet and an average depth of 28 feet. The lake covers 848.7 acres.
What fish are in Pickerel Lake?
- Fish species found in Pickerel Lake include 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. Pickerel Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
When does Pickerel Lake thaw?
- Pickerel Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 24. Ice typically forms around Dec 1. The open water season is approximately 221 days.
Does Pickerel Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Pickerel Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (20,137 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Pickerel Lake?
- Pickerel Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Twin Lake, Dead Lake (Southwest), Pickerel Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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Where this data comes from
86 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA86 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 (1)
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
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate