Dayton Hollow Reservoir
Otter Tail County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 56082400
DNR records show 9 stocking entries at Dayton Hollow Reservoir since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (139,000 fish).
- Dayton Hollow Reservoir has 9 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2016-2025): walleye (9).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 2,677,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 32 ft; surface area 227 acres, 139 littoral acres, 6.6 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 6.0 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, channel catfish, common carp, golden redhorse, greater redhorse, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, and 9 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Otter Tail County, nearest town Fergus Falls; DNR lake number (DOW) 56082400.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 139,000 | 1.2 |
| 2024 | Walleye | fry | 212,000 | 1.9 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 139,000 | 1.2 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 139,000 | 1.3 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 150,000 | 1.3 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 1,139,000 | 9.6 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 139,000 | 1.2 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 481,000 | 4.1 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 139,000 | 1.2 |
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 |
DNR fish survey, 2016
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 6.11 | 55 | 0.12 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 5.22 | 47 | 0.59 |
| Silver redhorse | Standard trap nets | 4.33 | 39 | 1.87 |
| Golden redhorse | Standard trap nets | 1.67 | 15 | 2.08 |
| Rock bass | Standard trap nets | 1.56 | 14 | 0.12 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.89 | 8 | 0.16 |
| Common carp | Standard trap nets | 0.67 | 6 | 5.21 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.44 | 4 | 2.28 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 3.50 | 21 | 0.78 |
| Silver redhorse | Standard gill nets | 3.17 | 19 | 2.14 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 2.33 | 14 | 0.16 |
| Channel catfish | Standard gill nets | 1.67 | 10 | 9.44 |
| Smallmouth bass | Standard gill nets | 1.17 | 7 | 1.11 |
| Golden redhorse | Standard gill nets | 1.00 | 6 | 1.79 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 0.67 | 4 | 2.12 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 0.67 | 4 | 0.75 |
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.
Dayton Hollow Reservoir is a 209-acre impoundment located approximately 3.5 miles southwest of Fergus Falls, Minnesota. Dayton Hollow Reservoir is part of the Otter Tail River system. The dam creating the reservoir is part of a small hydropower facility owned by Otter Tail Power Company. The maximum depth is 32 feet and 66% of the reservoir is 15 feet or less in depth. The secchi disk reading was 5.9 feet. Previous secchi disk readings have ranged from 3.0 to 5.0 feet. Development around Dayton Hollow Reservoir is very limited. There is a DNR owned public access located on the east shoreline. The habitat in the reservoir is riverine in nature, and the fish population reflects that. Some of the most abundant species are those associated with rivers: various redhorse species, Common Carp, Walleye, Channel Catfish, Bigmouth Buffalo, and Smallmouth Bass. Emergent vegetation (hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice) is located in various areas throughout the reservoir. 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. Emergent plants provide spawning areas for many fish species. 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. Zebra Mussels have been documented in Dayton Hollow Reservoir and it is designated as an infested body of water. Walleye abundance is moderate. Walleyes ranged in length from 9.8 to 18.5 inches with an average length of 13.5 inches. Walleyes attain an average length of 15.3 inches at four years of age. The Channel Catfish population is also moderately abundant. Channel Catfish ranged in length from 12.2 to 32.3 inches with an average length of 27.9 inches. Smallmouth Bass were introduced into the Otter Tail River in 1992 and were sampled for the first time during the 1998 survey. Data from the most recent survey indicates that a self-sustaining Smallmouth Bass population has developed. Smallmouth Bass ranged in length from 7.3 to 16.7 inches with an average length of 13.5 inches. Smallmouth Bass attain an average length of 12.9 inches at four years of age. There is a mandatory catch and release regulation for Smallmouth Bass on the Otter Tail River and its impoundments which includes Dayton Hollow Reservoir. The Black Crappie population is abundant. Crappies ranged in length from 4.3 to 14.7 inches with an average length…
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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