7 miles northeast of Pelican Rapids
Otter Tail County, Minnesota · 46.6433° N, 95.9724° W
Directions to Franklin Lake (N) Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access sites (2 listed; this is the first).
Updated 19 Oct 2026, 6:11 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
2 public access sites on Lake Franklin.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 10 stockings of Lake Franklin in 9 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 5,825 walleye fingerlings. Species stocked: walleye.
Latest: 2025: 5,825 walleye fingerlings.
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 Lake Franklin was in July 2020: 9 gill nets and 11 trap nets caught 16 species. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in April 2025; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 2003 4.8 · 2007 6.0 · 2012 6.6 · 2016 8.3 · 2020 5.3
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 2003 17 · 2007 39 · 2012 52 · 2016 29 · 2020 15
Walleye: 58 measured, 7 to 26 in, half 14 in or longer; average 1 lb, below normal (normal 1.2–2.4 lb).
Northern pike: 54 measured, 12 to 27 in, half 19 in or longer; average 1.4 lb, below normal (normal 1.5–2.7 lb).
Largemouth bass: 12 measured, 8 to 18 in, half 14 in or longer; average 1.5 lb, above normal (normal 0.2–0.9 lb).
Black crappie: 8 measured, 4 to 11 in, half 6 in or longer; average 0.41 lb, above normal (normal 0.2–0.4 lb).
Bluegill: 173 measured, 2 to 8 in, half 5 in or longer; average 0.12 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.3 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, 27 Jul 2020, 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 8 ft: the Secchi depth across 5 readings, 2007–2024.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Lake Franklin is 48 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 1,088 acres.
Yes. 2 public access sites are listed: Franklin Lake (N) Public Water Access Site; Franklin Lake (NE) Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 10 stockings of it in 9 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 5,825 walleye fingerlings.
Minnesota DNR’s July 2020 standard survey caught 16 species, most often bluegill, hybrid sunfish, walleye and northern pike.
About 63% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.