CharMac Resort
Perham
From $800–$1,100 / week · year not stated
These lakes sit in the north-east of Otter Tail County, around Perham (3,512 people at the 2020 census). Big Pine and Little Pine are a few miles north-east of town. Dead Lake and Star Lake are to the south-west, near Dent and Richville. Rush Lake is by the town of Ottertail. Otter Tail Lake has its own page.
Most places here are family cabin resorts that rent by the week in summer, with some RV parks. Anglers come for walleye, pike, crappie and sunfish. A few guides based in Perham fish these lakes, and two of them rent fish houses in winter.
I. The lodges
Where to stay
Most resorts here rent cabins by the week in summer. Heart Beach and Kimp's Kamp on Dead Lake publish 2026 nightly rates, and Abbywood publishes 2027 rates.
9 places to stay
Big Pine, Little Pine & Perham
Resorts on Big Pine and Little Pine north-east of Perham, plus Paul and Marion lakes and the motels in town. The Perham guides are listed here.
Cozy Cove Resort
Dent
Call for current rates
Golden Eagle RV Village
Perham
From $40–$175 / night · year not stated
GrandStay Hotel & Suites Perham
Perham
Call for current rates
Paul Lake Resort
Perham
Call for current rates
Sunny Bay Resort
Perham
Call for current rates
Sunset Beach Resort on Big Pine Lake
Perham
Call for current rates
Super 8 by Wyndham Perham
Perham
Call for current rates
Whispering Pines Resort
Perham
Call for current rates
10 places to stay
Dead & Star lakes (Dent, Richville)
Cabin resorts on Dead Lake and Star Lake south-west of Perham, plus Walker and East Silent lakes.
Abbywood Resort & Campground
Dent
From $156–$203 / night · 2027 season
Bells Resort Bar & Grill
Dent
Call for current rates
East Silent Lake Resort
Dent
Call for current rates
Frank's Lodge and Campground
Dent
Call for current rates
Heart Beach Resort
Dent
From $167–$180 / night · 2026
Kimp's Kamp Resort
Dent
From $192–$263 / night · 2026
Northern Lights Resort
Richville
Call for current rates
Spruce Lodge Resort
Dent
Call for current rates
Sunset Bay Resort
Richville
Call for current rates
Walker Lake Preserve
Richville
From $2,600–$3,310 / season · year not stated
4 places to stay
Rush Lake (Ottertail)
Weekly cabin resorts and an RV campground on Rush Lake, by the town of Ottertail.
Bladow Beach Resort & Campground
Ottertail
Call for current rates
Four Seasons Resort on Rush Lake
Ottertail
From $1,130–$1,965 / week · year not stated
Hidden Haven Resort and RV's
Ottertail
Call for current rates
Wil-O-Wood Resort
Ottertail
Call for current rates
II. On the water
What a guided day costs
| Boat | Full day | Typical | Half day | Typical | Operators |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | $450–$550 | $500 | $350 | $350 | 2 |
"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 |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lakes Guide ServicePerham | Call | – | walleye, crappie, sunfish | |
| Meister Guide ServiceBattle Lake | Call | – | walleye, crappie, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskie, perch | |
| PT's Guide ServicePerham | $550 | $350 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye |
| Reuben's Guide Service (Levi Roberts)Perham | $450 | $350 | Guide boat, 1–2 anglers | walleye, northern pike, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, crappie, bluegill, perch, muskie, rainbow trout |
III. Hard water
Ice fishing: day houses and sleepers
Meister Guide Service publishes 2026 day and sleeper fish-house rates, though its site names Otter Tail Lake for the houses. Lakes Guide Service, which guides the Pine lakes and Star Lake, rents heated houses without published rates.
| Outfitter | Day house | Sleeper | How you get out |
|---|---|---|---|
| Lakes Guide ServicePerham | Yes | – | heated transport to and from the houses |
| Meister Guide ServiceBattle Lake | $200/day for 1-2 people; $250/day for 3-4; $300/day for 5-6 (8x16 house, rods, reels, drilled holes and heat included), 2026 season | $350/day for up to 4 adults (8x12 house, 110v hookups, stove tops, bunks), 2026 season |
IV. The almanac
Seasons at a glance
- May 9, 2026Walleye, sauger and pike seasons open.
- May 23Bass harvest opens.
- February 28, 2027Walleye, sauger, pike and bass seasons close.
- March 1, 2027Fish houses off lakes south of US 10 (Dead, Star, Rush, Marion) by midnight.
- March 15, 2027Fish houses off Big Pine and Little Pine by midnight.
Fishing dates are from the DNR's 2026 regulations.
V. Regulations
Fishing rules
2026–27 season (May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027)
- Walleye and sauger season: May 9, 2026 – February 28, 2027. 6 combined, only one walleye over 20 inches.
- Big Pine and Little Pine: release every walleye from 18 through 26 inches, only one over 26 inches; crappie 5 a day, sunfish 10 a day.
- Star Lake: crappie 5 a day, sunfish 5 a day.
- Northern pike (North-central Zone): 10 in possession, not more than 2 over 26 inches; release every pike from 22 through 26 inches.
- Bass: catch-and-release only from March 1 to May 22, then 6 combined from May 23. Smallmouth go back to catch-and-release from September 14.
- Elsewhere: crappie 10 and sunfish 20 a day.
- Fish houses: off Big Pine and Little Pine (north of US 10) by midnight on March 15, 2027; off Dead, Star, Rush and Marion (south of it) by March 1, 2027.
From the DNR's 2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations: inland seasons, the North-central pike zone, and the special regulations for Big Pine, Little Pine and Star lakes. Dead, Rush, Marion and Paul lakes have no special regulation in the 2026 booklet. Rules change each March; check before you fish.
VI. Asked at the dock
Questions people ask
How much does a fishing guide cost on The Perham Lakes?
A guide boat for 1–2 anglers runs $450–$550 for a full day. Rates are per boat, not per person, and usually include bait and gas.
What are the walleye rules on Big Pine and Little Pine lakes?
Every walleye from 18 through 26 inches must go back, and only one over 26 inches may be kept, within the statewide limit of 6 walleye and sauger. Crappie are limited to 5 a day and sunfish to 10.
Is there a fishing guide on the Perham lakes?
PT's Guide Service in Perham names Big Pine, Little Pine, Rush and Star lakes and charges $550 for 8 hours or $350 for 4 hours for two anglers, with no year stated. Reuben's Guide Service runs Otter Tail County trips from Perham at $450 a full day or $350 a half day per boat for 1 to 3 anglers, without naming lakes. Lakes Guide Service and Meister Guide Service also fish these lakes but publish no open-water rates.
Can I rent a fish house near Perham?
Lakes Guide Service, which guides the Pine lakes and Star Lake, rents heated houses of about 8 by 14 feet with holes drilled and gear supplied; no rates are published. Meister Guide Service lists 2026 day houses from $200 a day for 1–2 people and sleepers at $350 a day for up to 4, but names Otter Tail Lake for them.
When do fish houses have to come off the ice?
Big Pine and Little Pine are north of US 10, so houses must be off by midnight on March 15, 2027. Dead, Star, Rush and Marion are south of it, where the date is March 1, 2027.
Sources and photo credits
Photos: Pickerel, Dead, and Star Lakes (33786906096), formulanone, CC BY-SA 2.0; Perham (15188428983), Tony Webster, CC BY 2.0; Dead Lake Township, Minnesota, Ken Lund, CC BY-SA 2.0.
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