6 miles south of Dent
Otter Tail County, Minnesota · 46.4754° N, 95.7611° W
Directions to Dead Lake WMA Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access sites (4 listed; this is the first).
Updated 15 Oct 2026, 5:16 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
4 public access sites on Dead Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 5 stockings of Dead Lake in 5 of the years 2017 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 6,537,000 walleye fry. Species stocked: walleye.
Latest: 2025: 6,537,000 walleye fry.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries (LakeFinder stocking reports), fetched 15 Oct 2026. How we measure
Measured from Minnesota DNR contours. How we measure
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of Dead Lake was in August 2024: 12 gill nets and 12 trap nets caught 16 species.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 2012 8.8 · 2015 6.1 · 2018 7.7 · 2021 8.2 · 2024 3.8
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 2012 15 · 2015 14 · 2018 29 · 2021 30 · 2024 37
Walleye: 50 measured, 8 to 26 in, half 15 in or longer; average 1.3 lb, normal (normal 0.9–1.9 lb).
Northern pike: 53 measured, 11 to 31 in, half 16 in or longer; average 1.2 lb, below normal (normal 1.5–3 lb).
Largemouth bass: 28 measured, 5 to 18 in, half 7 in or longer; average 0.63 lb, normal (normal 0.4–1.5 lb).
Black crappie: 45 measured, 4 to 11 in, half 8 in or longer; average 0.29 lb, normal (normal 0.2–0.5 lb).
Bluegill: 501 measured, 3 to 9 in, half 7 in or longer; average 0.14 lb, below normal (normal 0.2–0.4 lb).
Also caught: bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), white sucker, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 19 Aug 2024, via LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Normal range: DNR’s range for lakes of the same class (43 classes, grouped by water chemistry and shape). Each line has its own scale. How we measure
Measured water clarity averages about 6 ft: the Secchi depth across 17 readings, 2006–2024.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Dead Lake is 65 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 7,546 acres.
Yes. 4 public access sites are listed: Dead Lake WMA Public Water Access Site; Dead Lake (N) Public Water Access Site; Dead Lake (SW) Public Water Access Site; Dead Lake (SE) Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 5 stockings of it in 5 of the years 2017 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 6,537,000 walleye fry.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2024 standard survey caught 16 species, most often bluegill, pumpkinseed, northern pike and walleye.
About 51% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.