Wimer Lake
Wimer Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 292.84 acres.
- Clarity
- 10.2 ft
- Typical in August
- 73°F
- Max depth
- 58 ft
- Area
- 293 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Trend
- ↓ Declining
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Otter Tail County
Wimer Lake is a 293-acre mesotrophic lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 58 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 16 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 2 public boat landings. Compared to the 65 other monitored lakes in Otter Tail County, Wimer Lake ranks #40 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-23. 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 10.2 ft. Phosphorus level: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 5.8 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 46.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 10.2 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 18.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 5.8 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 46 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near Wimer Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Wimer 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
Wimer Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August. Summer average is about 72°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 75°F) and coldest in May (about 61°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 66 field readings (2017–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Wimer Lake water temperature breakdown →
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 58 ft |
| Surface Area | 293 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 3.7 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 37% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Silver LakePublic
- Murphy LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Wimer Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2008-06-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 31.53 | 0.17 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 24.00 | 0.1 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 5.99 | 0.54 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 5.24 | 0.17 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 3.66 | 0.18 lb |
| White Sucker | 2.34 | 1.79 lb |
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
Yellow Perch
Yellow Bass
Pumpkinseed
From the 2008-06-17 survey
Wimar Lake is a 275 acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in north central Otter Tail County, approximately four miles northeast of Vergas, MN. The maximum depth is 58 feet, and 39% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. The secchi disc reading, a measure of water clarity, was 9.5 feet. Previous…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Wimer Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — WimerFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Water Quality Trend: ↓ Declining
Based on 6 years of monitoring data (2020-2025).
| Metric | Trend | Change/Year | Years |
|---|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity | ↓ Declining | -0.113 m/yr | 6 |
| Phosphorus | ↓ Declining | +1.67 µg/L/yr | 6 |
| Chlorophyll-a | → Stable | -0.11 µg/L/yr | 6 |
County Ranking
Ranked #40 of 66 lakes in Otter Tail County
Nearby Lakes in Otter Tail County
Frequently asked questions about Wimer Lake
What is the water quality grade for Wimer Lake?
- Wimer Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 10.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 18.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 5.8 µg/L. Maximum depth: 58 ft. Surface area: 292.84 acres.
Is Wimer Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Wimer Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 5.8 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
What is the water temperature of Wimer Lake?
- Wimer Lake typically sits around 73°F at the surface in August, from 66 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2017–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Wimer Lake?
- Wimer Lake has a maximum depth of 58 feet. The lake covers 292.84 acres.
What fish are in Wimer Lake?
- Fish species found in Wimer Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Wimer Lake is located in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Wimer Lake?
- Wimer Lake has 2 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Silver Lake, Murphy Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Wimer Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
152 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
MNPCA152 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
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory