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Otter Tail Lake is a lake located in Minnesota. It covers roughly 13,725 surface acres (about 21 square miles). Fish documented in the area include Black Crappie, Northern Pike, Bluegill, and Pumpkinseed Sunfish. A nearby water gauge supplies level and temperature readings where available. If you are planning a trip, Detroit Lake, Lake Ida, and Lake Osakis are also nearby. Below you will find an hourly and 7-day forecast, wind and gust outlook, water readings, fishing conditions, and activity scores for boating, paddling, and swimming. Check the hourly forecast and activity outlook below before heading out to Otter Tail Lake.
Updated
No active alerts for this lake as of the last check (Oct 9, 1:37 AM CDT). Alerts are re-checked automatically; see the official source for updates.
Overall Excellent (90/100) across 4 activities. Best right now: Boating (97/100).
How the score is calculated →Best good fishing window, averaging 89/100 across these hours. Wind 8 mph from the east-southeast. Dawn hours (06:00 local). Derived from the hourly forecast; official alerts are not forecast and are checked separately.
| Metric | 6a | 7a | 8a | 9a | 10a | 11a | 12p | 1p | 2p | 3p | 4p | 5p | 6p | 7p | 8p | 9p | 10p | 11p | 12a | 1a | 2a | 3a | 4a | 5a |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 40° | 39° | 39° | 42° | 46° | 45° | 45° | 46° | 50° | 55° | 59° | 62° | 65° | 68° | 69° | 70° | 70° | 67° | 64° | 62° | 62° | 62° | 61° | 61° |
| Wind (kts) | 4 | 5 | 5 | 6 | 7 | 7 | 9 | 10 | 11 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 15 | 14 | 14 | 13 | 14 | 15 | 16 | 16 | 15 |
| Direction | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | S | S | SE | SE | SE | S | S | S | S |
| Gusts (kts) | 6 | 7 | 8 | 9 | 10 | 12 | 13 | 16 | 18 | 22 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 23 | 22 | 22 | 22 | 23 | 24 | 25 | 24 | 24 |
| Precip % | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% |
| Time | Temp | Wind | Gusts | Precip | Cloud | Condition |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Fri, 1 AM CDT | 40°F | 5 mph ESE (113°) | 7 mph | 1% | 22% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 2 AM CDT | 39°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 8 mph | 1% | 19% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 3 AM CDT | 39°F | 6 mph ESE (113°) | 9 mph | 1% | 30% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 4 AM CDT | 42°F | 7 mph ESE (113°) | 10 mph | 1% | 33% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 5 AM CDT | 46°F | 8 mph ESE (113°) | 12 mph | 1% | 34% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 6 AM CDT | 45°F | 8 mph ESE (113°) | 14 mph | 1% | 34% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 7 AM CDT | 45°F | 10 mph ESE (113°) | 15 mph | 1% | 35% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 8 AM CDT | 46°F | 12 mph ESE (113°) | 18 mph | 1% | 37% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 9 AM CDT | 50°F | 13 mph SE (135°) | 21 mph | 1% | 40% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 10 AM CDT | 55°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 25 mph | 1% | 31% | Mostly Sunny |
| Fri, 11 AM CDT | 59°F | 16 mph SE (135°) | 27 mph | 1% | 22% | Sunny |
| Fri, 12 PM CDT | 62°F | 17 mph SE (135°) | 27 mph | 1% | 13% | Sunny |
| Fri, 1 PM CDT | 65°F | 17 mph SSE (158°) | 27 mph | 1% | 12% | Sunny |
| Fri, 2 PM CDT | 68°F | 17 mph SSE (158°) | 27 mph | 1% | 12% | Sunny |
| Fri, 3 PM CDT | 69°F | 17 mph SSE (158°) | 27 mph | 1% | 12% | Sunny |
| Fri, 4 PM CDT | 70°F | 17 mph SSE (158°) | 27 mph | 1% | 11% | Sunny |
| Fri, 5 PM CDT | 70°F | 16 mph SSE (158°) | 25 mph | 1% | 9% | Sunny |
| Fri, 6 PM CDT | 67°F | 16 mph SE (135°) | 25 mph | 1% | 8% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 7 PM CDT | 64°F | 15 mph SE (135°) | 25 mph | 1% | 7% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 8 PM CDT | 62°F | 16 mph SE (135°) | 27 mph | 1% | 14% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 9 PM CDT | 62°F | 17 mph SSE (158°) | 28 mph | 1% | 21% | Mostly Clear |
| Fri, 10 PM CDT | 62°F | 18 mph SSE (158°) | 29 mph | 1% | 27% | Partly Cloudy |
| Fri, 11 PM CDT | 61°F | 18 mph SSE (158°) | 28 mph | 1% | 40% | Partly Cloudy |
| Sat, 12 AM CDT | 61°F | 17 mph SSE (158°) | 28 mph | 1% | 52% | Mostly Cloudy |
| Sat, 1 AM CDT | 62°F | 17 mph SSE (158°) | 28 mph | 1% | 64% | Mostly Cloudy |
Official National Weather Service hourly forecast. Showing 10 of 25 hours. Wind arrows point the way the wind is blowing; the compass point and degrees show where it comes from.
| Period | Today October 8, 2026 | This Afternoon October 8, 2026 | This Afternoon October 8, 2026 | Tonight October 8, 2026 | Overnight October 9, 2026 | Friday October 9, 2026 | Friday Night October 9, 2026 | Saturday October 10, 2026 | Saturday Night October 10, 2026 | Sunday October 11, 2026 | Sunday Night October 11, 2026 | Columbus Day October 12, 2026 | Monday Night October 12, 2026 | Tuesday October 13, 2026 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Temp (°F) | 61° | 61° | 61° | 45° | 39° | 70° | 59° | 82° | 60° | 73° | 49° | 57° | 43° | 56° |
| Wind | W 2 to 7 mph | WNW 8 mph | WNW 6 mph | E 1 to 9 mph | ESE 5 to 8 mph | SE 8 to 17 mph | SE 15 to 18 mph | S 17 to 22 mph | S 9 to 20 mph | NNE 8 to 12 mph | N 15 mph | N 15 mph | N 9 to 13 mph | N 9 mph |
| Gusts | 13 mph | 15 mph | 10 mph | 13 mph | 12 mph | 27 mph | 29 mph | 31 mph | 30 mph | 18 mph | 23 mph | 23 mph | 21 mph | 15 mph |
| Precip % | 2% | 1% | 1% | 3% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 1% | 0% | 1% | 9% | 33% | 33% | 7% |
| Forecast |
No active USGS or USACE telemetry gauge is currently mapped to Otter Tail Lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake.
Good for fishing (83/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east-southeast. 1% chance of precipitation. Working against it: Air temperature 40°F. Not available from a verified source for this lake: pressure trend, water temperature. Confidence is moderate (74%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Excellent for boating (97/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east-southeast. Gusts to 7 mph. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility and conditions, verified water access. Confidence is moderate (84%) because some inputs are unavailable or older than ideal.
Good for sailing (86/100), from 4 available inputs. Supporting this: Gusts are within 2 mph of sustained wind, so the breeze is steady. No active official alerts for this lake. Not available from a verified source for this lake: visibility. Confidence is high (88%).
Excellent for kayaking (94/100), from 5 available inputs. Supporting this: Wind 5 mph from the east-southeast. Gusts to 7 mph. Working against it: Air temperature 40°F. Confidence is high (90%).
Water temperature is not available from a verified source for this lake. No swimming score is shown without it.
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Individual boat ramp GPS coordinates are maintained under the jurisdiction of MN Parks & Wildlife Authority. Public boaters should verify seasonal launch water levels, gate hours, and daily vehicle/vessel fees before traveling.
Widely appreciated across MN, Otter Tail Lake provides an engaging setting for all styles of freshwater watercraft and shore recreation. Anglers seek out structure-oriented fish, while families and boaters take advantage of designated recreation zones. Be sure to check seasonal gate hours and daily parking pass requirements.
Valid freshwater sport fishing license issued by Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) is required for anglers age 16+. Digital license on mobile is accepted.
Current motorized watercraft registration mandatory. Practice Clean, Drain & Dry protocols: drain all livewells and inspect props before launching. Life jackets required for all passengers.
Public shoreline and boating access managed by State & Local Authorities. Verify seasonal gate hours, launch fees, and parking rules before travel.
High-speed motorboating, pontoon cruising, wakeboarding, and water skiing across main channels. Target gamefish include Black Crappie, Northern Pike, Bluegill, Pumpkinseed Sunfish. Morning hours typically provide optimal glassy conditions for kayak and stand-up paddleboard (SUP) touring.
Warm water temperatures, peak swimming, active watersports, and open full-service campgrounds. Highest weekly attendance; plan early arrivals on summer weekends.
Spring pre-spawn and fall feeding transitions create prime trophy angling conditions. Cooler air, lower boat traffic, and vibrant seasonal shoreline foliage.
Northern cold winter conditions with freezing air temperatures and potential surface ice formation. Ramps and water systems may be winterized. Confirm open status before visiting.
No external source rows are cited by the data currently shown on this page.
Updated
Scores are heuristics, not safety guarantees. LakeRadar scores summarize available conditions and are not a substitute for official warnings, local rules, or on-water judgment.
All telemetry for Otter Tail Lake is synchronized directly from authorized federal and state monitoring networks (USGS, NWS, NOAA, and state environmental authorities). Observations are strictly instrumented readings — unmonitored sensors are transparently disclosed rather than synthetic estimates.
Last source audit: Oct 9, 1:39 AM CDT