Stalker Lake
Stalker Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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.
- Clarity
- 6.6 ft
- Typical in August
- 74°F
- Max depth
- 95 ft
- Area
- 1,357 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 25
- Open water
- 218 days
Next lake in Otter Tail County
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. Water quality is graded B based on 2 sampling years through 2024. 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. 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.
Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels
Water Quality Grade: B (Good)
Murky, only visible to about 6.6 ft. Phosphorus level: 22 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 7.1 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 50.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 6.6 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 22 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 7.1 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 50 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay 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.
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Water Temperature
Stalker Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August. 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.
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 ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 95 ft |
| Surface Area | 1,357 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 8.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 42% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Johnson LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded 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.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
11 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2022-08-08 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 21.77 | 0.12 lb |
| BKF | 19.94 | — |
| Largemouth Bass | 18.06 | 1.52 lb |
| BCS | 15.36 | — |
| Yellow Perch | 12.09 | 0.14 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 6.71 | — |
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
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
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 5 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | → Stable | +0.02 m/yr | 5 |
| Phosphorus | → Stable | +0.2 µg/L/yr | 5 |
| Chlorophyll-a | ↓ Declining | +1.47 µg/L/yr | 5 |
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (8 observations).
Estimated open water season: 218 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2007-04-19 (2007) | 2008-04-30 (2008) |
| Ice-In | 2007-11-27 (2007) | 2024-12-01 (2024) |
Most recent ice-out: 2023-04-30
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
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN56-0437-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #52 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes With Higher Grades
Stalker Lake holds Grade B. 2 nearby lakes hold higher nutrient-and-algae grades — useful for a swim day, not a reason to skip lodging here.
See full comparison →Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Stalker Lake
What is the water quality grade for Stalker Lake?
- Stalker Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of B (Good). 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?
- Good for swimming, clear water with low algae levels. Stalker Lake has a water quality grade of B (Good). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 7.1 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Stalker Lake?
- Stalker Lake typically sits around 74°F at the surface in August, 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.
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 Johnson Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
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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)
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