5 miles southwest of Ottertail
Otter Tail County, Minnesota · 46.3991° N, 95.6616° W
Directions to Otter Tail Lake, Riverside (W) 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, 5:14 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
4 public access sites on Otter Tail Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 13 stockings of Otter Tail Lake in 9 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 4,000,000 walleye fry. Species stocked: lake sturgeon, walleye.
Latest: 2025: 4,000,000 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 Otter Tail Lake was in September 2004: 20 gill nets caught 14 species. This survey is 22 years old. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in September 2024; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 1984 11 · 1987 10 · 1989 10 · 2001 17 · 2004 14
Walleye: 289 measured, 6 to 26 in, half 12 in or longer; average 0.94 lb, normal (normal 0.9–1.5 lb).
Northern pike: 63 measured, 17 to 30 in, half 22 in or longer; average 2.9 lb, normal (normal 2.4–4.3 lb).
Yellow perch: 1,332 measured, 5 to 11 in, half 7 in or longer; average 0.13 lb, below normal (normal 0.2–0.3 lb).
Tullibee (cisco): 34 measured, 8 to 14 in, half 9 in or longer; average 0.58 lb, above normal (normal 0.4–0.5 lb).
Also caught: bluegill, brown bullhead, common carp, lake sturgeon, pumpkinseed, shorthead redhorse, tullibee (cisco), white sucker, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 7 Sep 2004, 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 7 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.
Otter Tail Lake is 120 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 14,079 acres.
Yes. 4 public access sites are listed: Otter Tail Lake, Riverside (W) Public Water Access Site; Otter Tail Lake (W) Public Water Access Site; Otter Tail Lake, Sportsman (E) Public Water Access Site; Otter Tail Lake, Riviera (N) Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 13 stockings of it in 9 of the years 2016 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 4,000,000 walleye fry.
Minnesota DNR’s September 2004 standard survey caught 14 species, most often yellow perch, walleye, northern pike and rock bass.
About 63% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.