Cotton Lake
Becker County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 03028600
DNR records show 10 stocking entries at Cotton Lake since 2017, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2025 (4,915 fish).
- Cotton Lake has 10 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2017-2025): walleye (10).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 76,067 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 28 ft; surface area 1,763 acres, 781 littoral acres, 10.9 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 11.1 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, and 3 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Becker County, nearest town Rochert; DNR lake number (DOW) 03028600.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 7/14/1987 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 4,915 | 256.0 |
| 2025 | Walleye | fingerlings | 10,095 | 1,058.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 7,385 | 1,055.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 4,191 | 381.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 3,399 | 283.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fingerlings | 9,628 | 809.0 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fingerlings | 23,610 | 785.0 |
| 2019 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 3,525 | 282.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye1 | fingerlings | 1,200 | 40.0 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fingerlings | 8,119 | 629.0 |
1 fish purchased and stocked by private citizens and sporting groups. 2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.
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 | FWS | Northeast shore of lake (Tamarack National Wildlife Refuge). - Some trees and brush near access had been recently removed, and access ramp was being fixed at the time of this survey. Launched boat from Curley's bar during second half of survey. |
DNR fish survey, 2021
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 41.08 | 493 | 0.63 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 13.50 | 162 | 1.05 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 12.83 | 154 | 0.27 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 9.25 | 111 | 0.29 |
| Rock bass | Standard gill nets | 8.08 | 97 | 0.54 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 6.42 | 77 | 0.31 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard gill nets | 6.00 | 72 | 0.39 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 5.33 | 64 | 1.49 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 14.75 | 177 | 0.20 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 6.25 | 75 | 0.33 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 2.08 | 25 | 0.49 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 1.25 | 15 | 1.28 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 1.17 | 14 | 0.95 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.83 | 10 | 1.06 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 0.83 | 10 | 0.34 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 0.58 | 7 | 0.15 |
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.
Cotton Lake is a 1,763-acre lake located in Becker county 12 miles east of the city of Detroit Lakes. The lake possesses a heavily developed shoreline and receives high recreational use and fishing pressure from the surrounding area, particularly during the open water season. The Shelly Island Wildlife Management Area and the Cotton Lake Aquatic Management Area collectively protect 111 acres of land within and adjacent to Cotton Lake. The lake is moderately productive and maintains a robust fishery, providing angling opportunities for Walleye, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Largemouth Bass, and Black Crappie. A standard lake survey was completed on Cotton Lake in July 2021. Catch rates of Walleye in Cotton Lake have varied over time, ranging from four to 13 Walleye per gill net. The average catch rate of Walleye in 2021 was about five fish per gill net. Walleye sampled ranged in length from 8.4 to 22.6 inches, averaging 15.9 inches long. Walleye in Cotton Lake typically reach 15 inches in length by age four, exhibiting growth that is considered average in Minnesota lakes. Northern Pike catches have increased in Cotton Lake over time. During the 2021 survey the average catch rate of Northern Pike was almost 14 pike per gill net, slightly higher than the lake's historical average. Pike sampled in 2021 ranged in length from 10.0 to 28.9 inches, averaging 17.3 inches long. Only 1.2% of sampled Northern Pike were greater than or equal to 24 inches in length, indicative of a population persisting of an over-abundance of small to moderately sized pike. Catch rates of Yellow Perch have remained between about ten and 20 perch pet gill net in the last six surveys. The average catch rate of Yellow Perch in 2021 was about 13 perch per gill net. Sampled perch ranged in length from 5.1 to 12.0 inches, averaging 8.4 inches long. Cotton Lake appears to have the possibility to provide an angling opportunity for Yellow Perch, a unique prospect in the Detroit Lakes Fisheries Management Area. Bluegill catches in Cotton Lake have declined relative to past surveys. Although catch rates are lower, the size structure of Bluegill has improved in the last two surveys. The average catch rate of Bluegill in 2021 was about 12 fish per trap net. Sampled Bluegill ranged in length from 2.8 to 8.9 inches, averaging 6.1 inches long. Approximately 22% of the Bluegill sampled in trap nets were eight inches or longer, a substantial improvement from previous surveys. Bluegill in Cotton Lake exhibit relatively slow growth, requiring six years to reach six inches long. In 2021, a total of ten…
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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