Deer

Deer Lake is a 457-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately five miles north of Battle Lake, MN. Deer Lake is connected to Otter Tail Lake via the Otter Tail River. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 26 feet; however, 67% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. Historical secchi disk readings have ranged from 5.5 to 9.8 feet. The majority of the shoreline of Deer Lake has been extensively developed with homes and cabins. A DNR owned public access is located on the southeast shoreline where the Otter Tail River enters the lake. There are remnant stands of hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice scattered along the east and west shorelines of the lake. These emergent plants provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical in maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms from wave erosion and help absorb pollutants and excess nutrients. Emergent plants also provide critical spawning habitat for several fish species including Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for many species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants cannot be removed without a DNR permit. A reduced daily bag limit regulation for sunfish (10 per day) was implemented in 2021. The objective of the regulation is to improve and maintain the quality of the Bluegill size structure. A special spring trapnetting survey was conducted to collect baseline data on the Bluegill population, which will be used for regulation evaluation purposes in future surveys. The Bluegill population is abundant and has a moderate quality size structure. Sixty-three percent of the Bluegill sample was 7.0 inches or greater in length, while 7% was 8.0 inches or greater in length. Age data indicate that Bluegill reproduction is consistently good. Bluegills attain an average length of 8.0 inches at eight years of age. Anglers can also maintain or improve the quality of angling by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large size fish while allowing the harvest of more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future. Deer Lake was designated as infested with zebra mussels in 2017. Aquatic invasive species are threatening Minnesota waters. Aquatic invasive species can potentially harm water quality, water recreation, aquatic habitat, native species, and fish populations. Anglers can help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species by following watercraft transportation laws.

Deer Lake is a 457-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately five miles north of Battle Lake, MN. Deer Lake is connected to Otter Tail Lake via the Otter Tail River. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 26 feet; however, 67% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. Historical secchi disk readings have ranged from 5.5 to 9.8 feet. The majority of the shoreline of Deer Lake has been extensively developed with homes and cabins. A DNR owned public access is located on the southeast shoreline where the Otter Tail River enters the lake. There are remnant stands of hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice scattered along the east and west shorelines of the lake. These emergent plants provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical in maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms from wave erosion and help absorb pollutants and excess nutrients. Emergent plants also provide critical spawning habitat for several fish species including Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for many species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants cannot be removed without a DNR permit. A reduced daily bag limit regulation for sunfish (10 per day) was implemented in 2021. The objective of the regulation is to improve and maintain the quality of the Bluegill size structure. A special spring trapnetting survey was conducted to collect baseline data on the Bluegill population, which will be used for regulation evaluation purposes in future surveys. The Bluegill population is abundant and has a moderate quality size structure. Seventy-one percent of the Bluegill sample was 7.0 inches or greater in length, while 15% was 8.0 inches or greater in length. Age data indicate that Bluegill reproduction is consistently good. Bluegills attain an average length of 7.9 inches at eight years of age. Anglers can also maintain or improve the quality of angling by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large size fish while allowing the harvest of more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future. Deer Lake was designated as infested with zebra mussels in 2017. Aquatic invasive species are threatening Minnesota waters. Aquatic invasive species can potentially harm water quality, water recreation, aquatic habitat, native species, and fish populations. Anglers can help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species by following watercraft transportation laws.

Deer Lake is a 457-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately five miles north of Battle Lake, MN. Deer Lake is connected to Otter Tail Lake via the Otter Tail River. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 26 feet; however, 67% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. The secchi disk reading during the 2019 survey was 8.8 feet. Previous secchi disk readings have ranged from 5.5 to 9.8 feet. The majority of the shoreline of Deer Lake has been extensively developed with homes and cabins. A DNR owned public access is located on the southeast shoreline where the Otter Tail River enters the lake. There are remnant stands of hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice scattered along the east and west shorelines of the lake. These emergent plants provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical in maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms from wave erosion and help absorb pollutants and excess nutrients. Emergent plants also provide critical spawning habitat for several fish species including Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for many species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants cannot be removed without a DNR permit. Walleye abundance has remained stable over the recent series of surveys. Walleyes ranged in length from 11.6 to 19.7 inches with an average length and weight of 14.6 inches and 1.0 pounds. Walleyes attain an average length of 13.9 inches at four years of age. Catch data indicate that Bluegills are abundant. Bluegill size structure is moderate with 16% of the sample measuring 7.0 inches or greater in length and 1% measuring 8.0 inches or greater in length. Bluegills attain an average length of 7.0 inches at six years of age. A moderate density Northern Pike population exists. Age and length data from recent surveys indicate that Northern Pike reproduction is consistently good. Northern Pike ranged in length from 12.4 to 29.5 inches with an average length and weight of 17.7 inches and 1.1 pounds. Northern Pike attain an average length of 24.3 inches at six years of age. A Lake Sturgeon re-introduction plan was implemented in 2002 when yearling Lake Sturgeon were stocked into Otter Tail Lake. Lake Sturgeon fingerlings have been stocked in Otter Tail Lake on an annual basis since 2004 and will be stocked annually through 2022. The objective of the re-introduction plan is to re-establish a self-sustaining Lake Sturgeon population in the Otter Tail River system. Lake Sturgeon sampled in the 2019 standard survey ranged in length from 25.6 to 50.5 inches with an average length and weight of 42.4 inches and 10.2 pounds. Anglers can maintain or improve the quality of angling by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large size fish while allowing the harvest of more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future. Deer Lake was designated as infested with zebra mussels in 2017. Aquatic invasive species are threatening Minnesota waters. Aquatic invasive species can potentially harm water quality, water recreation, aquatic habitat, native species, and fish populations. Anglers can help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species by following watercraft transportation laws.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Green Sunfish, Walleye, Largemouth Bass, Rock Bass, and Hybrid Sunfish in Deer. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Deer. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Deer has a maximum depth of 26 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Deer is from 2019.

Yes — Deer has confirmed zebra mussel. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.