Star Lake

Otter Tail County, Minnesota · MN DNR bathymetric survey

90ft Max
depth

4,451 acres 10 contours Public access

Paddling Index51Modestwooded shoreline

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Depth scale

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The lake

Survey readout

Star Lake is mapped to a depth of 90 ft on the Minnesota DNR survey and covers about 4,451 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Depths come from the Minnesota DNR survey of 1956.

Measured from the Minnesota DNR lake bathymetric contour survey.

Deepest mapped contour: 90 ft
Survey year: 1956
Surface area: 4,451 acres
Shoreline: 30.76 mi · irregular
Aquatic vegetation: 3% of surface · NDVI estimate
Public access: Trailer Launch · Star Lake, E Quiram Public Water Access Site · Minnesota DNR site · 1 more

Additional depth details10 contours

Contour depths: 0–90 ft
Recorded point soundings: 90 ft, 60 ft, 40 ft, 30 ft

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Location

Otter Tail County, Minnesota · 15 nearest of 70 lakes · tap a dot for that lake

Chart data

Provenance

Sources: MN DNR Lake Bathymetric Contours, USGS 3DEP, USDA NAIP (public domain), OpenStreetMap (ODbL).

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Map details & sources4 sources

All layers registered to one bounding box; positions in WGS 84.

Survey-derived depth contours drape over USGS 3DEP elevation, with a USDA NAIP aerial basemap and OpenStreetMap shoreline. Color shows surveyed depth; dark lines are the survey's own isobaths.

Coordinates: 46.51948, -95.81575
MN DNR lake ID: 56038500
Vertical exaggeration: 1.4×
Basemap: USDA NAIP · public domain
Model size: 2.4 MB

Paddling

Paddling Index methodology v1.0 · calculated 2026-09-25

51 / 100ModestData confidence: High

Star Lake has a mostly natural, lightly developed setting, notable open-water exposure, nearby higher-volume roads.

Why this score?5 components

Included in the index

Component	Rating	Points of weight	Measurement
Natural setting	Very Good	23.4 of 35	69% natural land cover within 150 m of shore (26% forest, 41% wetland; 18% developed)
Geometric wind exposure	Mixed	5.4 of 29	mean fetch 2,886 m · 0% of sampled water within 500 m of shelter · long fetch in some directions
Motor & speed rules	Not modeled	—	Minnesota’s lake-by-lake motor, speed and no-wake rules are mostly county and city ordinances, not map data, so they are not part of the Minnesota index. Check local signage and ordinances before going out.
Public access	Good	15.0 of 18	2 DNR public access sites · boat ramp
Road isolation	Mixed	7.0 of 18	nearby higher-volume roads · 8 MnDOT-classified segments within 1.2 km, peak 1,150 vehicles/day

Additional paddling considerations

These describe the lake but are not part of the v1 Paddling Index and do not change the number above.

Wake sensitivity: Low — wide enough that wakes disperse over most of the lake
Aquatic vegetation: Low — approximately 3% mapped coverage · NAIP aerial imagery (NDVI)
Observed motorized activity: Unknown — No lake-level measurement of boat traffic is available. Legal permission to operate motors is not evidence of use.
Wildlife habitat potential: High — 26% forest and 41% wetland cover within 150 m of shore

Compare Minnesota lakes by Paddling Index →

How this index is calculated. The Paddling Index is a relative composite derived from lake geometry and public land-cover, access and traffic-count data. It is not a user review, a safety rating, or a prediction of an individual outing. Differences of a few points should not be treated as meaningful — an 84 and an 82 are broadly comparable. Components and weights for Minnesota lakes: natural setting 35%, geometric wind exposure 29%, public access 18%, road isolation 18%. Motor, speed and no-wake rules are not modeled for Minnesota, and traffic counts cover state, county and some city roads but not township roads. Where a component has no data the remaining weights are renormalized and the confidence rating is lowered; below Medium confidence no number is shown. Minnesota scores are relative to other Minnesota lakes and are not directly comparable with Paddling Index scores on our sister sites, which use different data sources, some with a watercraft-rules component. Sources: MN DNR lake bathymetry outline, USGS/MRLC NLCD Land Cover (2021), MN DNR Water Access Sites and Fishing Piers & Shore Fishing Sites (2026-09) and MnDOT Annual Average Daily Traffic (counts 2021–2025). Conditions change quickly — check current weather and local conditions before going out.

Fish you might catch

from DNR surveys & active stocking

15 species with recent evidence in this lake — sized relative to each other. Illustrations are AI-generated representative adults in everyday colors, not photographs (provenance).

Common Carp

White Sucker

Hybrid Sunfish

About these fish → the Fish of Minnesota guide

Compiled from Minnesota DNR fishery surveys and Minnesota DNR stockings within the last 10 years. Silhouettes are stylized and scaled to typical adult sizes relative to one another. Presence is not a promise — fishing isn’t a sure thing.

Fishery

surveyed 2012

2,022Fish sampled

15Species

Gamefish Northern Pike 161 · Walleye 146 · Largemouth Bass 20 · Bowfin 6

Panfish Bluegill 957 · Pumpkinseed 290 · Yellow Perch 153

All survey species15 species

Gamefish

Northern Pike161 caught · to 35″

Walleye146 caught · to 27″

Largemouth Bass20 caught · to 17″

Bowfin6 caught · to 28″

Panfish

Bluegill957 caught · to 10″

Pumpkinseed290 caught · to 8″

Yellow Perch153 caught · to 8″

Hybrid Sunfish101 caught · to 9″

Rock Bass47 caught · to 10″

Black Crappie40 caught · to 12″

Bullhead & catfish

Yellow Bullhead46 caught · to 14″

Brown Bullhead33 caught · to 14″

Black Bullhead8 caught · to 14″

Forage & nongame

White Sucker10 caught · to 19″

Common Carp4 caught · to 29″

Length is the largest fish netted in the survey, not an angler record. Source: Minnesota DNR lake survey (LakeFinder).

DNR stocking

state stocking record · 2016–2025

Fish the Minnesota DNR has planted in this lake — what was added, distinct from what a survey netted above.

Walleye15,475,100 stocked · 2016–2025 · 7 plantings

Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking report. LakeFinder lists the last 10 years of stocking only.

Infested waters listing

listed via connection

Mussels & snails

Zebra MusselListed in 2019 because this water is connected to West McDonald (56-0386-02). The species has not necessarily been found in this lake.

What does the infested waters list mean?

The Minnesota DNR lists a lake, river, pond or wetland as infested when it contains an aquatic invasive species that could spread to other waters, or when it is connected to a water where one is present. Activities such as bait harvest and water use are managed differently on infested waters. Check the current list before moving water, bait or equipment.

Source: Minnesota Department of Natural Resources. List of Infested Waters, September 9, 2026. https://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/ais/infested.html

Quick answers

Star Lake — common questions

How deep is Star Lake?

The deepest contour on the Minnesota DNR bathymetric survey of Star Lake is 90 ft. That is the deepest depth the historical survey map records, which may differ from the deepest point of the lake itself.

How big is Star Lake?

Star Lake covers about 4,451 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota.

What fish are in Star Lake?

Species with survey, catch or recent-stocking evidence include largemouth bass, northern pike, walleye, black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill. The page lists all 15 species and the evidence behind each.

Is there public access to Star Lake?

Yes. The Minnesota DNR lists 2 public access sites on Star Lake: Star Lake, E Quiram Public Water Access Site (boat ramp); Star Lake, N 108 Public Water Access Site (boat ramp).

More lakes in Otter Tail County