Stalker Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota1,357 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Stalker Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- Impaired · Mercury
- flowering rush
- 95 ft max depth
- Public access
Stalker Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 1356.82 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 8, 2022 caught 3.78 walleye per gill net at Stalker Lake. DNR survey details →
Free interactive depth-contour map of Stalker Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 90 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
Stalker Lake is a 1,357-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 95 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 17 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Stalker Lake ranks #52 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2024-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Stalker Lake covers about 1,400 acres in Otter Tail County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 25, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Stalker Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Stalker Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing17 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 25
- Deep water95 ft surveyed max depth
- Big water1,357 acres
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. Stalker Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Stalker 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 Stalker Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Stalker Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.1 µg/L. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.6ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 22µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7.1µg/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. | 50 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Stalker Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Stalker Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 75°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.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (78°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 63 field readings (2010–2022) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Stalker Lake water temperature breakdown →
Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
There’s no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Stalker Lake — clouds, ice, or an off-season gap in coverage. The most recent reading was moderate (21,281 cells/mL) on April 25, 2026.
Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check your state’s current advisory before swimming. EPA CyAN ↗
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 8, 2022 caught 3.78 walleye per gill net at Stalker Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Stalker Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-08 (Targeted Survey).
11 surveys on file · most recent 2022-08-08 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 21.77 | 3–6 in 2022-08-08 | 0.12 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.06 | 12–18 in 2022-08-08 | 1.52 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 12.09 | 5–8 in 2022-08-08 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 6.71 |
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
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2022-08-08 survey
Stalker Lake is a 1,280-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in southwestern Otter Tail County, approximately seven miles southeast of Underwood, MN. Stalker Lake is part of the Pomme de Terre River Watershed. The Pomme de Terre River outlet is located along the southwest shoreline of the lake. The…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Stalker Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — StalkerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Stalker (1169)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — StalkerFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — StalkerPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
95 ft
Surface area
1,357 acres
Shoreline
8.1 mi
Littoral zone
42%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
47 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,250 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Stalker LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Stalker Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Stalker 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 Stalker 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 →
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Stalker 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.
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 5 years of monitoring (2020–2024).
Water clarity
Stable5 years
Phosphorus
Stable+0.2 µg/L/yr5 years
Chlorophyll-a
Worsening+1.47 µg/L/yr5 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 25
Earliest Apr 19, 2007 · Latest Apr 30, 2008
Typical ice-in
Nov 29
Earliest Nov 27, 2007 · Latest Dec 1, 2024
Most recent ice-out
Apr 30
2023
8 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
EPA Impairment Status
Stalker Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
Designated uses not supporting: Fish consumption.
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0437-00 · Official waterbody report
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Stalker Lake
Where is Stalker Lake?
- Stalker 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 Stalker Lake?
- Stalker Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.6 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.1 µg/L. Maximum depth: 95 ft. Surface area: 1356.82 acres.
Is Stalker Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Stalker Lake is listed impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) (IR 4A) for mercury. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Stalker Lake?
- Stalker Lake typically sits around 65°F at the surface in September, from 63 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2010–2022). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Stalker Lake?
- Stalker Lake has a maximum depth of 95 feet. The lake covers 1356.82 acres.
What fish are in Stalker Lake?
- Fish species found in Stalker Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, longnose gar, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Stalker Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Stalker Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on August 8, 2022 caught 3.78 walleye per gill net at Stalker Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Stalker Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Stalker Lake thaw?
- Stalker Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 29. The open water season is approximately 218 days.
Does Stalker Lake have blue-green algae?
- There is no recent EPA CyAN cyanobacteria estimate for Stalker Lake (clouds, ice, or an off-season gap). The most recent reading was moderate (21,281 cells/mL). Blue-green algae can appear and clear within days, so check Minnesota's current advisory before swimming.
Are there boat ramps on Stalker Lake?
- Stalker Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Stalker Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Stalker Lake?
- Stalker 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 Stalker Lake across LakeQuality
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Where this data comes from
96 measurements from 2 monitoring stations, 2020–2024. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA96 samples · 2020–2024
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
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