Orwell Lake

Details

DNR lake ID

56094500

County

Otter Tail

Surface area

608 acres

Maximum depth

25 feet

Shallow water (littoral) area

608 acres, 100% of the lake

Shoreline

11.7 miles

Average water clarity

3.3 feet (Secchi disk, 2 readings)

Latest DNR fish survey

May 2024, targeted survey

Surveys on record

7, since 1985

Game fish caught in the 2024 survey

black crappie 76

Fish species recorded

black crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, yellow perch, and 13 other species

Stocked in 2025

walleye fry (1,611,000)

Stocked in 2024

walleye fry (1,726,000)

Stocked in 2023

walleye fry (926,000)

Stocking years on record

9 of the last 10 (2016 to 2025)

Orwell Reservoir Public Water Access Site

trailer launch, concrete slab ramp, 1 dock, 10 trailer spaces, run by DNR Division of Parks and Trails

Infested waters list

zebra mussel

Special regulation, Up to Dayton Hollow Dam

Crappie: Daily limit five.

Fish consumption

Follow the statewide guidelines; fish from this lake have been tested

Size

500 to 1,999 acres

Deepest point

15 to 29 feet

Public access

Yes

Stocked in the last 3 years

Yes

Sources

• Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
  Checked September 24, 2026
• Minnesota DNR Public Water Access Sites
  Checked September 24, 2026

Survey catches show what DNR nets and electrofishing found on the survey date, not how the fishing is today. Check the current regulations and the Department of Health advice before you keep fish, and confirm access conditions before you tow a boat.