Otter Lake, Houghton County Fishing
A 864-acre Michigan lake in Houghton County.
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Otter Lake, Houghton County in brief
The state lake layer measures Otter Lake, Houghton County at 864 acres; it lies in Houghton County. For fuel and groceries, Pelkie is about 7 miles off. It sits on the Upper Peninsula inside the Western Lake Superior Management Unit of the MDNR. It drains to the Southern Lake Superior-Lake Superior watershed in the Northern Lakes and Forests ecoregion.
The MDNR lists johnny darter, largemouth bass, northern logperch, pumpkinseed, rock bass and smallmouth bass here. Trailers launch at 1 public launch. Summer satellite readings put clarity near 7.8 feet in 2023. It carries the MDNR Family Friendly Fishing tag.
For the largemouth bass herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 The fish list for Otter Lake, Houghton County
These fish come from MDNR records for Otter Lake, Houghton County: Fish Atlas collections from 1970 on, fishing site lists, stocking and records.
Fish Atlas tally for Otter Lake, Houghton County
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Johnny darter | 8 | 1921 to 1996 |
| Rock bass | 8 | 1921 to 1996 |
| Yellow perch | 8 | 1921 to 1996 |
| Northern logperch | 6 | 1925 to 1996 |
| Smallmouth bass | 6 | 1925 to 1996 |
| Largemouth bass | 2 | 1955 to 1996 |
| Pumpkinseed | 1 | 1996 |
| Lake herring | 3 | 1925 to 1970 |
| Brown bullhead | 2 | 1955 to 1960 |
| Black bullhead | 1 | 1960 |
| White sucker | 7 | 1921 to 1955 |
| Shorthead redhorse | 5 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Golden shiner | 4 | 1925 to 1955 |
| Silver redhorse | 4 | 1925 to 1955 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Where to launch on Otter Lake, Houghton County
- Otter Lake Boat Access1 lane, 6 trailer spaces, courtesy pier, toilet, Recreation Passport; Baraga State Park
Fishing from land at Otter Lake, Houghton County
- Otter Lake Dam fishing site, Portagebank fishing area, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week
Boat launches by Otter Lake, Houghton County
- Otter Lake Dam Boat AccessSturgeon River, 2 miles northeast
- Sturgeon River Sloughs Boat AccessSturgeon River, 8 miles northeast
- White City Boat AccessPortage River, 8 miles northeast
- Centennial ParkPortage Lake, 8 miles north
- Sturgeon River Boat AccessSturgeon River, 9 miles south
- Lake Perrault Boat AccessPerrault Lake, 11 miles northwest
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity trend at Otter Lake, Houghton County
EGLE averages Landsat images from July to September for Otter Lake, Houghton County; values are converted here from meters to feet.
Chlorophyll a in 2023: 6.54 micrograms per liter.
EGLE Michigan Inland Lakes Water Clarity layer (Landsat, July to September), checked October 2026. Depth is not published here: the layer depth fields are unreliable.
Limits and seasons for Otter Lake, Houghton County
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 in any combination; minimum 14 inches | Possession: Sat. before Memorial Day – Dec. 31; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Walleye (Upper Peninsula) | 5; minimum 15 inches | May 15 – March 15 |
| Northern pike (Upper Peninsula) | 2; minimum 24 inches | May 15 – March 15 |
| Muskellunge | Only 1 per angler per license year (April 1 – March 31); mandatory harvest registration within 24 hours; minimum 42 inches (46, 50 or 38 inches on listed waters) | Possession: 1st Sat. in June – March 15; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Yellow perch | 25 | Open all year |
| Sunfish and crappie | 25 in any combination of the listed species | Open all year |
| Channel catfish | 10; minimum 12 inches | Open all year |
| Flathead catfish | 5; minimum 15 inches | Open all year |
| White bass | 10 | Open all year |
| Cisco and whitefish | 5 in any combination | Open all year |
| Burbot | 5 | Open all year |
| Trout in unclassified lakes | 5, no more than 3 of which may be 15 inches or greater; minimum 8 inches | Open all year |
Statewide rows for the Upper Peninsula are shown for Otter Lake, Houghton County; the trout row follows its MDNR lake Type when it has one.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
Hatchery fish released in Otter Lake, Houghton County
Plants at Otter Lake, Houghton County: 1 event, 9,900 fish, 2025 to 2025; top species walleye.
| Date | Species | Strain | Avg length | Number |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| June 27, 2025 | Walleye | Bay De Noc | 4.2 in | 9,900 |
MDNR Fish Stocking Report table, January 2024 to October 2026. Michigan stocking.
Neighbor lakes of Otter Lake, Houghton County, measured
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Otter Lake, Houghton County | 864 | 1 | 7.8 | 15 | |
| Lake Perrault | 11 miles northwest | 38 | 1 | 9.6 | 0 |
| Lake Roland | 13 miles west | 258 | 2 | 6.2 | 6 |
| Portage Lake near Dollar Bay, Houghton County, 9,324 acres | 13 miles northeast | 9,324 | 2 | 9.7 | 3 |
| Emily Lake | 14 miles west | 60 | 1 | 5.7 | 0 |
| Pike Lake, Houghton County | 14 miles southwest | 83 | 1 | 4.6 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
What sits close to Otter Lake, Houghton County
Lakes to try next to Otter Lake, Houghton County
- Lake Perrault11 miles northwest
- Lake Roland13 miles west
- Portage Lake near Dollar Bay, Houghton County, 9,324 acres13 miles northeast
- Emily Lake14 miles west
- Pike Lake, Houghton County14 miles southwest
Where to pick up bait for Otter Lake, Houghton County
- Ojibwa Campground & Marinamarina, Baraga, 10 miles
- Indian Country Sports Incbait and tackle shop, Lanse, 12 miles
- Dollar Bay Motorsportsmarina, Osceola Twp, 15 miles
- Freeman's Firearmsbait and tackle shop, Hancock, 15 miles
- Markham's Marinamarina, Houghton, 17 miles
- Witz Marinamarina, Skanee, 17 miles
Charter captains and guides near Otter Lake, Houghton County
- Voyager Charterscharter, Bruce Crossing, (906) 827-3466
Towns that put you close to Otter Lake, Houghton County
- Pelkie7 miles
- Chassell9 miles
- Baraga10 miles
The counties around Otter Lake, Houghton County
- Houghton Countyseat: Houghton
Piscifun spinning and baitcasting picks for Otter Lake, Houghton County
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Identifying the fish of Otter Lake, Houghton County
Photo: Cephas, CC BY-SA 3.0
Photo: Eric Engbretson for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: George Chernilevsky, CC BY-SA 4.0
Photo: ColtonOrbaker, CC BY-SA 3.0
What to know ahead of a day at Otter Lake, Houghton County
Which MDNR unit manages Otter Lake, Houghton County?
Houghton County, Western Lake Superior Management Unit, about 7 miles from Pelkie.
What surface area does EGLE give Otter Lake, Houghton County?
The state layer shows 864 acres.
Is there a ramp for trailers on Otter Lake, Houghton County?
1 public launch, led by Otter Lake Boat Access.
What bites in Otter Lake, Houghton County?
Expect johnny darter, largemouth bass, northern logperch, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass and yellow perch.
What are the walleye limits on Otter Lake, Houghton County?
Walleye (Upper Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season May 15 – March 15.
What does a visitor from out of state pay for Otter Lake, Houghton County?
Anglers 17 and older carry a Michigan all-species fishing license: $26 a year for residents, $76 for nonresidents, $11 for seniors or $10 for one day.
How far can you see into Otter Lake, Houghton County?
About 7.8 feet of Secchi depth in 2023, from EGLE satellite data.
Which tackle store sits handiest to Otter Lake, Houghton County?
Ojibwa Campground & Marina is the nearest, 10 miles away.
When was Otter Lake, Houghton County last stocked?
The 2025 record lists 9,900 walleye.
Line up a day on Otter Lake, Houghton County
Michigan license prices and limits are one click away.