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644-acre lake near McLeod County. The lake tops out around 5 ft. The depth chart is built from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the humps, channels and drop-offs you see are measured, not guessed. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
Traced from the shoreline, Otter runs 637 acres with 14.6 miles of edge, broken up by 3 islands. The 4.1 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. Every acre of it sits shallower than ~15 ft: one big littoral zone, cover and forage throughout. Figure 3.4 mi of water from one end to the other, 2 mi at the beam. You'll find it in McLeod County. For a second option, French lies 4 mi north.
When the water first warms, walleye slide up into 1 to 5 ft. There's no big seasonal slide here — summer means 2 to 5 ft, winter 2 to 5 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 2 ft that scores prime in fall. In summer the feeding windows fall in the evening and early morning. Keep a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) rigged through the warm months.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (2 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (2 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (2 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (5 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: crappie in 1 to 5 ft. The depth story barely changes: 2 to 5 ft through summer, 2 to 5 ft in winter. The spot to know is Deep basin, a deep basin in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for crappie in winter. Plan around early morning and the evening in the warm months. Summer baits: a jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 5 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 2 to 5 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 2 to 5 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 2 to 5 ft | midday | Deep basin (5 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The chart marks 6 structure features on Otter; the deepest is Secondary point at about 5 ft.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Otter specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Otter is about 5 ft (2 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth chart here comes from real state fisheries GPS surveys, so the contours reflect measured depths.
Anglers target walleye, crappie on Otter.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 2 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. The map above holds the full rated-spot list for every species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Otter is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
French 4 mi · Stahl's 5 mi · Hook 5 mi · Belle Lake 7 mi · Marion 7 mi · Cedar 7 mi · Swan 8 mi · Hoff 8 mi · Jennie 8 mi · Erie 9 mi · Greenleaf 9 mi · Silver 9 mi
See how Otter stacks up: best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: McLeod County fishing maps (10 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps or see every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry credit: state fisheries survey programs. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.