Aspen Resort & Campground
Orr
Call for current rates
Pelican Lake covers about 11,500 acres beside the town of Orr on US Highway 53, south of Voyageurs National Park. It is 38 feet at the deepest and has 55.7 miles of shoreline. Most of its resorts are cabin camps on the bays west of town, and the town has motels on the highway.
Walleye is the main fish, along with northern pike, smallmouth and largemouth bass, and crappie. A few resorts north and east of Orr sit on smaller lakes: Melgeorge's on Elephant Lake, Myrtle Lake Resort, and two resorts on Echo Lake near Buyck.
I. The lodges
Where to stay
Stay on Pelican Lake for the most choice, in Orr for a motel room, or on Elephant, Myrtle or Echo Lake for a smaller lake.
15 places to stay
Pelican Lake and Orr
Cabin resorts on Pelican Lake's bays and islands west of Orr, plus motels and a bed and breakfast in town on Highway 53. The public accesses are on the east side of the lake.
Birch Forest Lodge
Orr
From $168–$760 / night · year not stated
Cabin O' Pines Resort & Campground
Orr
From $75–$495 / night · year not stated
Deer Lodge Resort
Orr
From $1,790–$2,150 / week · 2026
Grey Wolf Lodge
Orr
From $175–$459 / night · year not stated
Hundred Acre Woods Bed and Breakfast
Orr
From $135 / night · year not stated
Island View Resort
Orr
Call for current rates
Norman's One Stop & Motel
Orr
From $80–$90 / night · 2026
North Country Inn
Orr
From $100–$109 / night · year not stated
Northland Lodge
Orr
Call for current rates
Oveson's Pelican Lake Resort & Inn (Gateway Lodge)
Orr
From $129–$219 / night · 2024
Pelican Lake Resort at Norway Point
Orr
From $117–$257 / night · year not stated
Pine Acres Resort & Campground
Orr
From $575–$1,485 / week · year not stated
Pine Grove Resort
Orr
From $950–$1,395 / week · year not stated
Richardson's Shangri-La Resort
Orr
From $1,300–$3,450 / week · 2026
4 places to stay
Elephant, Myrtle and Echo lakes
Four resorts on smaller lakes north and east of Orr: Melgeorge's on Elephant Lake, Myrtle Lake Resort, and Trail's End and Timber Wolf Point on Echo Lake near Buyck. Most stay open in winter.
Melgeorge's Elephant Lake Lodge and Resort
Orr
From $99–$470 / night · year not stated
Myrtle Lake Resort
Orr
From $175–$375 / night · 2026
Timber Wolf Point Resort
Buyck
Call for current rates
Trail's End Resort & Campground
Buyck
From $150–$275 / night · 2026
II. On the water
What a guided day costs
| Boat | Full day | Typical | Half day | Typical | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | $600 | $600 | – | – | 1 |
"Typical" is the median of published rates. Most operators don't put a year on their rates.
Independent guides
Lodges that run their own guides are listed with the lodges above.
| Guide | Full day | Half day | Boat | Species |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Butch FurtmanOrr | $450 | – | ||
| Fullscale Outdoors Fishing Charter (Capt. Dale Luginbill)Orr | $600 | – | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, northern pike, sunfish, walleye |
| Jake Panichi FishingCook | $600 | – | largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, crappie, bluegill, northern pike |
III. The almanac
Seasons at a glance
- May 9, 2026Walleye, sauger, pike and bass seasons open.
- Early May – early OctoberSummer season at most cabin resorts. Birch Forest Lodge, for example, opens May 7 and closes October 3.
- June 6 – November 30Muskie season (1 fish, 54-inch minimum).
- WinterMelgeorge's, Myrtle Lake Resort, the Echo Lake resorts and some Orr lodgings stay open for ice fishing and snowmobiling.
- February 28, 2027Walleye, sauger, pike and bass seasons close.
- March 1 – May 8Bass are catch-and-release only.
- March 15, 2027Every fish house must be off the ice by midnight.
Fishing dates are from the DNR's 2026 regulations; resort dates from the resorts' own sites.
IV. Regulations
Fishing rules
2026–27 season (May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027)
- Walleye and sauger: May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027. 6 combined, only one walleye over 20 inches.
- Pelican Lake bass: release every largemouth and smallmouth from 14 through 20 inches; one over 20 inches allowed. The DNR puts Pelican Lake in the Northeast bass zone: catch-and-release only from March 1 to May 8, then 6 combined from May 9, 2026 to February 28, 2027.
- Northern pike: May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027. The zone line is US Highway 53. Lakes north and east of it, such as Elephant, Myrtle and Echo, are Northeast Zone: 2 in possession, release every pike from 30 through 40 inches, one over 40 allowed. Pelican Lake lies west of the highway, in the North-central Zone: 10 in possession, release every pike from 22 through 26 inches, no more than 2 over 26.
- Muskie: June 6 – November 30, 1 fish, 54-inch minimum.
- Crappie 10 and sunfish 20, open all year. Elephant Lake: sunfish 10.
- Fish houses must be off the ice by midnight on March 15, 2027.
From the DNR's 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations (inland seasons, pike and bass zones, and the Pelican Lake and Elephant Lake special regulations). Rules change each March; check before you fish.
V. Asked at the dock
Questions people ask
How much does a fishing guide cost on Pelican Lake (Orr)?
A guide boat for 1–2 anglers runs $600–$600 for a full day. Rates are per boat, not per person, and usually include bait and gas.
What's the walleye limit on Pelican Lake?
6 walleye and sauger combined, with only one walleye over 20 inches (2026–27 DNR inland rules). Pelican Lake has no special walleye regulation.
Are there bass rules on Pelican Lake?
Yes. Every largemouth and smallmouth from 14 through 20 inches must go back, and you can keep one over 20 inches. Bass are catch-and-release only from March 1 to May 8.
How big is Pelican Lake?
About 11,500 acres, 38 feet at the deepest, with 55.7 miles of shoreline.
Which resorts near Orr are open in winter?
Melgeorge's on Elephant Lake, Myrtle Lake Resort, Trail's End on Echo Lake, Pelican Lake Resort at Norway Point, North Country Inn and Hundred Acre Woods list winter stays. Most Pelican Lake cabin resorts close in the fall.
Sources and photo credits
Photos: Pelican Lake FIshing Pier - Orr, Minnesota (36912516183), Tony Webster, CC BY-SA 2.0; MN St Louis County 190720094989pelican lake by orr, Bjoertvedt, CC BY-SA 3.0.
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