Ocheda Lake

How big is Ocheda Lake?

How deep is Ocheda Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Ocheda Lake?

What are the closest cities to Ocheda Lake?

Are there boat launches on Ocheda Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Ocheda Lake?

Ocheda is a 1,700-acre lake located 2 miles south of Worthington in Nobles County. The lake has a maximum depth of 5 feet, 21 miles of shoreline, and is a class 41 lake. The lake is managed primarily for northern pike while yellow perch and walleye are managed secondarily. Local riparian owners and the Okabena-Ocheda Watershed District met in 2010 to develop a plan that would improve the water quality in Ocheda Lake. Lowering water levels and reducing common carp populations were some of the topics discussed at the meeting. An aeration system is operated on the lake to help prevent winterkill but was not operated during the winter of 2009-10. Oxygen Levels did drop below 2 ppm in February of 2010.

Northern pike numbers are high when compared to other lakes with similar morphology and chemical characteristics. Lengths of northern pike caught in our gill nets ranged from 15.8 to 25.2 inches and averaged 20.9 inches. Trap nets sampled some larger northern pike. Lengths of northern pike caught in our trap nets in 2009 ranged from 14.9 to 36.2 inches with and averaged 25.0 inches.

Yellow perch numbers were similar to other lakes like Ocheda. Lengths of yellow perch caught in our gill nets ranged from 6.7 to 10.0 inches and averaged 8.1 inches.

Walleye numbers are low when compared to other lakes like Ocheda. All walleye caught in our gill nets were age 3 and likely originated from a fry stocking in Okabena Lake in 2006. High water levels during the spring of 2006 may have allowed walleye fry to drift over the dam and eventually end up in Ocheda Lake.

Carp have historically been a problem in Ocheda and is likely one of the major causes of the poor water quality in the lake. The carp population is extremely high with the gill net catch rates being four times higher than what we would expect in lakes similar to Ocheda. Lengths of carp caught in our gill nets ranged from 4.9 to 21.5 inches and averaged 16.9 inches. Lengths of carp caught in our trap nets ranged from 15.8 to 28.4 inches and averaged 20.8 inches.

If you are looking for a meal of spring bullhead, Ocheda would be a good choice. Lengths of black bullhead caught in our trap nets ranged from 7.0 to 11.3 inches and averaged 8.0 inches.

Other fish sampled during our population assessment included bigmouth buffalo, black crappie, and white crappie.

To maintain a healthy fishery in Ocheda Lake, we need to promote Best Management Practices (BMPs) within the watershed to help reduce nutrients entering the lake. High nutrients and sediments in a lake can cause algae blooms and reduce water clarity.

What is the average air temp for Ocheda Lake?