O'Brien Lake
Crow Wing County, Minnesota
Share your catch!
We want to see what you've caught on O'Brien Lake.Frequently Asked Questions About O'Brien Lake, MN
- How big is O'Brien Lake?
- How deep is O'Brien Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in O'Brien Lake?
- What are the closest cities to O'Brien Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the O'Brien Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on O'Brien Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near O'Brien Lake?
- What is the average air temp for O'Brien Lake?
- Are there any state parks near O'Brien Lake?
How big is O'Brien Lake?
How deep is O'Brien Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in O'Brien Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Bluntnose Minnow, Central Mudminnow, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish and Johnny Darter.
What are the closest cities to O'Brien Lake?
Are there places to stay in the O'Brien Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on O'Brien Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near O'Brien Lake?
Explore the O'Brien Lake area in a RV
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2025 Forest River Cherokee Grey Wolf - Family Friendly & Adventure Ready!
Bemidji, MN
History & Status of the Fishery
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in O'Brien Lake was conducted on August 22nd, 2022 by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations, but four stations were sampled from the boat due to site conditions. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample four stations, a 15-foot seine was used at five stations, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at one station. Nearshore sampling captured 20 species of fish including seven species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Least Darter, Rock Bass, and Smallmouth Bass) and one species that is tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Green Sunfish).
The nearshore data will be combined with trap net and gill net data from a planned 2024 survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Data from this survey indicates O'Brien Lake is healthy as indicated by the presence of several intolerant fish species. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Pine River Watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
What is the average air temp for O'Brien Lake?
Are there any state parks near O'Brien Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around O'Brien Lake...| DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
| Unnamed Lake | 0.7 mi | 12 | |
| Goodrich Lake | 1.1 mi | 382 | 35 ft |
| Velvet Lake | 1.1 mi | 167 | 29 ft |
| Lily Pad Lake | 1.4 mi | 44 | |
| Rock Lake | 1.4 mi | 49 | 13 ft |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.5 mi | 12 | |
| Dolney Lake | 1.6 mi | 272 | 16 ft |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.6 mi | 36 | 23 ft |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.7 mi | 494 | |
| Unnamed Lake | 1.8 mi | 32 |
