Orwell Lake
Otter Tail County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 56094500
DNR records show 9 stocking entries at Orwell Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (1,611,000 fish).
- Orwell Lake has 9 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2016-2025): walleye (9).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 17,220,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 25 ft; surface area 608 acres, 608 littoral acres, 11.7 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 3.3 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: bigmouth buffalo, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), channel catfish, common carp, golden redhorse, greater redhorse, northern pike, rock bass, shorthead redhorse, and 5 more.
- 3 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Otter Tail County, nearest town Fergus Falls; DNR lake number (DOW) 56094500.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 1,611,000 | 14.5 |
| 2024 | Walleye | fry | 1,726,000 | 15.1 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 926,000 | 7.8 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 626,000 | 5.7 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 1,000,000 | 8.8 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 5,000,000 | 42.2 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 3,331,000 | 28.9 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 2,000,000 | 17.1 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 1,000,000 | 8.5 |
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 | Army Corps of Engineers | |
| earthen ramp | Minnesota DNR | - AC 2 IS ON THE NORTH SIDE OF THE RESERVOIR OFF OF THE MINIMUM MAINTENANCE ROAD IN SECTION 25. |
| earthen ramp | Minnesota DNR | - AC 3 IS ON THE SOUTH SIDE OF THE RESERVOIR OFF OF THE MINIMUM MANINTENANCE ROAD EXTENDING FROM COUNTY ROAD 2 IN SECTION 25. |
DNR fish survey, 2024
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black crappie | Standard electrofishing | 273.87 | 76 | 0.39 |
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.
Orwell Reservoir is a United States Army Corps of Engineers flood control impoundment. It is located approximately 8 miles southwest of Fergus Falls, MN in Otter Tail County. Construction of the dam on the Otter Tail River was completed in 1952, and the reservoir encompasses 782-acres at normal pool. Because the main purpose of the reservoir is flood control, water levels are seasonally fluctuated to maximize storage during periods of high water. This fluctuation has several negative impacts on the reservoir and the resident fish community. Riparian vegetation has not been able to establish due to periodic inundation. This has resulted in severe shoreline erosion. Eroded material is suspended in the water, increasing turbidity. The increased turbidity, as well as fluctuating water levels, have prevented the establishment of submerged vegetation important to many fish species. Fluctuating water levels can also negatively impact the spawning success of some fish species. Changes to the reservoir operating plan in 1986, which required more stable water level management, has improved fishery conditions, but the fishery will not reach full potential as long as flood control is the primary function of the reservoir. Zebra mussels have been documented in Orwell Reservoir and it is designated as an infested body of water. The entire shoreline of Orwell Reservoir is owned by the state of Minnesota. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land. The Corps of Engineers maintains a public water access on the north shoreline off of County Road 114. There is a 10 horsepower restriction for outboard motors on the reservoir. A targeted survey (spring electrofishing) was used in 2024 to assess the status of the Black Crappie population. Data from the electrofishing assessment indicates that the Black Crappie population is currently in a low to moderate density. Black Crappies ranged in length from 2.9 to 14.5 inches with an average length and weight of 7.9 inches and 0.4 pounds. Twenty-nine percent of fish sampled were 8.0 inches or longer. Age data from recent targeted surveys indicate that Black Crappie recruitment is inconsistent, resulting in year class strength that is extremely variable. Consequently, there can be wide fluctuations in Black Crappie abundance and size structure. The 2022 year class is strong and should provide quality Black Crappie angling in the coming years. Crappies attain an average length of 10.5 inches at four years of age. In 2025, a special regulation was implemented reducing the daily limit of crappie to 5. Anglers…
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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