Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest August 4, 2014
Stocking at Walker Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2014 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Walker Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Walker 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: 2014-08-04 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2014-08-04 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow Perch | 15.04 | 5–9 in 2014-08-04 | 0.2 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 8.33 | 12–13 in 2014-08-04 | 1.24 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 7.58 | 6–12 in 2014-08-04 | 0.62 lb |
| Bluegill | 5.65 | 3–9 in 2014-08-04 | 0.3 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 4.54 | 9–14 in 2014-08-04 | 0.71 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 2.83 | 9–15 in 2014-08-04 | 0.93 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.
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
From the 2014-08-04 survey
Walker Lake is a 540-acre eutrophic (fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately four miles west of Ottertail City. The Dead River inlet is located along the north shoreline and outlets into Otter Tail Lake along the south shoreline. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of marshland and…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Walker Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WalkerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — WalkerFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — WalkerPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Walker Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on August 4, 2014 caught 1.33 walleye per gill net at Walker Lake. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Walker Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Walker Lake is dated August 4, 2014. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Walker Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Walker Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Walker Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Walker 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.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class: a lake with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Walker Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Walker Lake
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