Belmont Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 56023700
DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Belmont Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2024 (2,250 fish).
- Belmont Lake has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2016-2024): walleye (5).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 10,100 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 34 ft; surface area 285 acres, 108 littoral acres, 4.2 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, yellow bullhead, yellow perch.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Otter Tail County, nearest town Clitherall; DNR lake number (DOW) 56023700.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 2,250 | 75.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 4,000 | 160.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 700 | 42.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 1,600 | 123.1 |
| 2016 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 1,550 | 65.7 |
1 fish purchased and stocked by private citizens and sporting groups.
Field note · Minnesota stocks by year, not by truck day: walleye fry go in within weeks of ice-out, fingerlings and yearlings mostly in fall, and stream trout in spring and fall. A row here means the fish went in during that year; DNR adds the year's rows after the fact, so the current year can look empty until winter.
DNR fish survey, 2001
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 70.11 | 631 | 0.06 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 10.00 | 90 | 0.20 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 9.89 | 89 | 0.55 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 5.67 | 51 | 0.27 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 1.89 | 17 | 1.04 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 1.11 | 10 | 1.14 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 0.56 | 5 | 0.36 |
| Black bullhead | Standard trap nets | 0.44 | 4 | 1.74 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 22.83 | 137 | 0.15 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 13.50 | 81 | 1.45 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 10.33 | 62 | 0.66 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 5.67 | 34 | 0.10 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 12 | 0.18 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 12 | 0.24 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard gill nets | 1.17 | 7 | 1.41 |
| Black bullhead | Standard gill nets | 0.17 | 1 | 1.22 |
| Black crappie | Special trap nets | 6.50 | 52 | 0.45 |
Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.
Belmont Lake is located in south-central Otter Tail County approximately five miles south of Clitherall, MN. Belmont Lake is a 192-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake that is part of the Otter Tail River Watershed. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of mixed hardwood forest cover interspersed with homes and cabins on the north and south lakeshores. The maximum depth of Belmont Lake is 34 feet; however, 56% of the lake is less than 15 feet in depth. The secchi disk reading during the 2001 lake survey was 11.8 feet, which indicates excellent water clarity. Periodic plankton/algae blooms throughout the summer months can influence secchi disk readings. Belmont Lake is included in lake class 33 of the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources' (DNR) lake classification scheme. Belmont Lake is located within the DNR's Fergus Falls Management Area. The majority of the shoreline of Belmont Lake is undeveloped. The 1991 resurvey identified 23 homes/cottages on the lake. There is no designated public access on the lake but access may be gained to the lake for a fee at various locations. The shoal water substrates consist of sand, gravel, and rubble. The substrate in the bay areas is predominately muck. Several stands of hardstem bulrush are scattered along various shorelines of the lakes. Common cattail is prevalent in three of the bays. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush and cattail provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms, and can actually absorb and break down polluting chemicals. They also serve as important nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit. To maintain the excellent water quality and angling within this lake it is imperative to preserve the quality of the aquatic habitat. Belmont Lake can be ecologically classified as a bass-panfish type of lake and this is reflected in the assemblage of the fish community. Northern pike, largemouth bass, bluegill, and black crappie are the dominant gamefish species in the lake. The prolificacy of these species can be attributed to the abundance of suitable spawning habitat that is available. A high-density northern pike population exists. The catch rate has exceeded the upper limit of the normal range for lake class 33 in all fish surveys to date. Age data indicate that pike natural reproduction is consistently good. Northern pike ranged in size from 12.6 to 30.5 inches with an average length and weight of…
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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