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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
74-acre lake near St. Louis County. The lake tops out around 17 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. What follows comes from the same scoring engine that paints the spots above.
On the chart, Otter draws 74 acres inside 2.2 miles of shoreline. The shoreline is moderately structured (index 1.8) — enough points and pockets to pattern. 98% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. End to end it runs roughly 0.8 mi, about 0.4 mi across. You'll find it in St. Louis County. The nearest mapped water is Cummings, 2 mi to the east.
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 17 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 15 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 3 ft range, prime in spring. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Break off the point (8 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Warm water sends them out to 5 to 17 ft; cold water stacks them in 5 to 17 ft. Top water on the chart: Main-lake point, a point in the 8 ft range, prime in fall. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (8 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
Early season rock bass use the shallows, holding in 2 to 10 ft. Summer is a 4 to 17 ft game here, winter a 5 to 17 ft one. The chart's best answer is Main-lake point — point, 8 ft, prime for summer. Best bite is the evening. Tie on a ned rig (small) or a marabou jig and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (8 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + grub, Small inline spinner |
| Summer | 4 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 20 ft | dusk | Main-lake point (8 ft) | Ned rig (small), Marabou jig |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 22 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Small tube jig, Inline spinner |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 30 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten jig + plastic, Small spoon + spike |
In spring, bluegill run shallow here, mostly 1 to 6 ft. Midsummer fish sit out in 4 to 15 ft before dropping to 5 to 17 ft for winter. Spring bluegill concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 3 ft. Fish it in early morning and the evening and you'll meet the bite. You won't need more than a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig most summer days.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (3 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Break off the point (8 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 5 to 17 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (14 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 14 ft.
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 17 ft (5 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target northern pike, smallmouth bass, rock bass, bluegill on Otter.
Shallow bay flat is the top-rated area: a weed flat in about 3 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. The interactive chart above rates every spot for each species and season.
For northern pike, the summer bite is best in early morning and the evening. 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.
Cummings 2 mi · Niswi 2 mi · Neewin 2 mi · Neesh 2 mi · Western 3 mi · Buck 3 mi · Schlamm 3 mi · Lunetta 3 mi · Korb 4 mi · Chad 4 mi · Little Crab 4 mi · Hassel 4 mi
See how Otter stacks up: best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best bluegill lakes in Minnesota · best rock bass lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. 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.