Dead Lake (Otter Tail County)
Otter Tail County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 56038300
DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Dead Lake (Otter Tail County) since 2017, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (6,537,000 fish).
- Dead Lake (Otter Tail County) has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2017-2025): walleye (5).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 32,648,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 65 ft, mean depth 10 ft; surface area 7,546 acres, 6,537 littoral acres, 41.0 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 6.2 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, and 6 more.
- 3 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Otter Tail County, nearest town Dent; DNR lake number (DOW) 56038300.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 7/29/1964 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 6,537,000 | 58.7 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 6,500,000 | 54.4 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 6,537,000 | 56.9 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 6,537,000 | 55.2 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 6,537,000 | 56.1 |
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 | TOW | |
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | |
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR |
DNR fish survey, 2024
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 37.17 | 446 | 0.14 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 10.25 | 123 | 0.23 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard trap nets | 4.17 | 50 | 0.77 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 3.25 | 39 | 0.29 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard trap nets | 2.33 | 28 | 0.64 |
| Hybrid sunfish | Standard trap nets | 2.00 | 24 | 0.38 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 1.50 | 18 | 0.63 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.83 | 10 | 0.88 |
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 4.58 | 55 | 0.20 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 3.83 | 46 | 1.31 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 3.75 | 45 | 1.20 |
| Yellow bullhead | Standard gill nets | 2.67 | 32 | 0.72 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard gill nets | 2.67 | 32 | 0.94 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 2.42 | 29 | 0.21 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 1.75 | 21 | 0.09 |
| White sucker | Standard gill nets | 1.08 | 13 | 1.81 |
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.
Dead Lake is a 7,901-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately three miles south of Dent, MN. It is the second largest lake in Otter Tail County. The Dead River outlet is located along the southeast shoreline and flows south into Walker and Otter Tail Lakes. The Walker Lake State Fish Hatchery is located on the Dead River. Dead Lake is also connected to Star Lake by a non-navigable channel under County Road 35. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural and marsh lands interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth of Dead Lake is 65 feet; however, 83% of the lake is less than 15 feet in depth. The secchi disk reading during the 2024 lake survey was 12.1 feet. Previous secchi disk readings ranged from 3.0 to 6.0 feet. The majority of the shoreline of Dead Lake remains undeveloped. Approximately 70% of the shoreline is composed of mixed hardwoods or marshlands. Homes, cabins, and resorts occupy the shoreline that is developed. State owned public water accesses are located along the north, west, and east shorelines. Large stands of hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice are prevalent throughout the lake. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush, cattail, and wild rice provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms and can 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. There is a 90-acre Aquatic Management Area (AMA) located on Dead Lake. It adjoins a State-Owned Wildlife Management Area (WMA). The Dead Lake WMA/AMA is approximately 895 acres. The AMA portion contains two islands and the eastern shoreline of the unit. The WMA/AMA is located on the central part of Dead Lake. The entire unit is primarily managed and overseen by the Division of Wildlife. Dead Lake has a reputation as one of the best all-around fishing lakes in Otter Tail County. Walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, Black Crappie, and Bluegill are the dominant gamefish species in the fish community. The abundance of these species can be attributed to the diversity of suitable spawning habitat that is available. A…
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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