Clitherall Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 56023800
DNR records show 16 stocking entries at Clitherall Lake since 2016, most recently walleye adults in 2025 (153 fish).
- Clitherall Lake has 16 DNR stocking records across 10 years (2016-2025): walleye (16).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 2,522,071 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 69 ft; surface area 2,540 acres, 805 littoral acres, 14.8 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 15.1 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), and 4 more.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Otter Tail County, nearest town Clitherall; DNR lake number (DOW) 56023800.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/8/1979 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | adults | 153 | 150.0 |
| 2025 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 23,700 | 790.0 |
| 2025 | Walleye | yearlings | 463 | 310.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 15,000 | 500.0 |
| 2024 | Walleye | adults | 3,930 | 993.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fingerlings | 1,065 | 71.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye | yearlings | 4,254 | 870.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 11,200 | 400.0 |
| 2022 | Walleye | yearlings | 322 | 161.0 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fingerlings | 11,195 | 645.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye | adults | 2,514 | 646.0 |
| 2020 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 15,950 | 550.0 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 805,000 | 6.8 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 805,000 | 6.8 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 805,000 | 6.9 |
| 2016 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 17,325 | 555.5 |
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.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | |
| CA | TOW |
DNR fish survey, 2024
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 24.75 | 297 | 0.17 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 5.67 | 68 | 0.24 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 4.92 | 59 | 0.25 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 3.67 | 44 | 0.46 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 3.33 | 40 | 0.26 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 2.50 | 30 | 0.38 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.92 | 11 | 1.92 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.42 | 5 | 2.16 |
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 5.58 | 67 | 0.33 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 5.33 | 64 | 1.17 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard gill nets | 3.92 | 47 | 0.89 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 3.50 | 42 | 2.27 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 2.00 | 24 | 0.12 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 1.08 | 13 | 0.19 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 0.83 | 10 | 0.57 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 0.75 | 9 | 2.69 |
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.
Clitherall Lake is a 2,493-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in south-central Otter Tail County approximately one mile south of Clitherall, MN. Clitherall Lake is connected to Crane Lake via a non-navigable inlet along the south shoreline. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 69 feet; however, 32% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. The secchi disk reading during the 2024 lake survey was 15.5 feet. Previous secchi disk readings ranged from 9.3 to 19.0 feet. The majority of the shoreline of Clitherall Lake has been extensively developed. The development consists primarily of homes/cabins and resorts. A DNR owned public water access is located along the south shoreline and a township owned access is located along the north shoreline. Shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and gravel. Stands of hardstem bulrush are scattered along the north and west shorelines. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush 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. Emergent plants provide spawning areas for fish such as Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. 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 that this lake has to offer, it is imperative to preserve the quality of the aquatic habitat. A standard survey was conducted to analyze the gamefish populations of Clitherall Lake. Walleye abundance increased from the previous two surveys. Walleyes ranged in length from 9.5 to 22.8 inches with an average length and weight of 14.8 inches and 1.2 pounds. Walleyes attain an average length of 15.5 inches at four years of age. Northern Pike abundance is at a moderate level. Pike ranged in length from 12.5 to 31.7 inches with an average length and weight of 22.1 inches and 2.3 pounds. Pike attain an average length of 25.4 inches at five years of age. A high-density Largemouth Bass population exists. Age and length data indicate that Largemouth Bass reproduction is consistently good. Bass ranged in length from 6.7 to 15.1 inches with an average length and weight of 11.6 inches and 0.9 pounds. Bass attain an average length of 12.0 inches at five years of age. Bluegill abundance is moderate; however, inconsistent reproduction causes fluctuations…
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
All Minnesota stockings · every Minnesota lake with a page · state CSV · this lake on DNR LakeFinder
Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02; contours are the DNR bathymetric survey. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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