Minnesota · Otter Tail County
South Turtle Lake Fishing guide
South Turtle Lake covers 837 acres in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, reaching 35 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 14.6 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 7 times, most recently in 2018, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 8 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.1per gill net19"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 45 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2017Lengths measured · 15 fish
2017Lengths measured · 30 fish
2011Lengths measured · 59 fish
2000Largemouth bassJust a few16.1per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 102 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2017Lengths measured · 41 fish
2017Lengths measured · 61 fish
2011Lengths measured · 42 fish
2000Northern pikeJust a few5.8per gill net18"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 141 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2017Lengths measured · 71 fish
2017Lengths measured · 70 fish
2011Lengths measured · 62 fish
2000BluegillJust a few22.8per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1149 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2017Lengths measured · 458 fish
2017Lengths measured · 691 fish
2011Lengths measured · 291 fish
2000CrappieJust a few0.6per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 48 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2017Lengths measured · 20 fish
2017Lengths measured · 28 fish
2011Lengths measured · 144 fish
2000Yellow perchJust a few0.5per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2017Lengths measured · 9 fish
2017Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
2011Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2000Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish South Turtle Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 14.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 14.6 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2017 | 24" | 18" | 30" |
| 2011 | 26" | 18" | 31" |
| 2000 | 24" | 15" | 29" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 597,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 597,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 597,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 597,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 597,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2018 survey
A targeted survey of the nearshore fish community in South Turtle Lake was conducted by Fisheries Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program Staff starting July 24, 2018 on South Turtle Lake. Fourteen sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 15-foot or 50-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all 14 sites with five sites sampled from the boat. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample six sites, a 15-foot seine was used at three sites, and soft sediments with abundant vegetation and deep water prevented the use of seines at five sampling site. Nearshore sampling captured 17 native species of fish including five species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Pugnose Shiner) and 1 species that is tolerant of disturbance (Green Sunfish).
Data from this targeted nearshore survey is combined with trap net and gill net data from an August 2017 standard survey to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based Index of Biological Integrity (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. 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. The FIBI score for South Turtle Lake from this survey is just below an impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Pomme de Terre River Watershed assessment of surface waters process completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
South Turtle Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on South Turtle Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- South Turtle Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
South Turtle Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Fiske Lake · 254 ac · 1.4 mi
- North Turtle Lake · 1,773 ac · 2 mi
- Elbow Lake · 188 ac · 2.2 mi
- German Lake · 77 ac · 3 mi
- First Silver Lake · 529 ac · 3.5 mi
- Bass Lake · 311 ac · 5 mi
- Stalker Lake · 1,357 ac · 5.4 mi
- East Lost Lake · 483 ac · 5.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is South Turtle Lake?
South Turtle Lake reaches 35 ft at its deepest point; about 48% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is South Turtle Lake?
South Turtle Lake covers 837 acres with about 11 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in South Turtle Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on South Turtle Lake average 14.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in South Turtle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2018) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is South Turtle Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does South Turtle Lake have a public access?
Yes. South Turtle Lake has one public access site: South Turtle Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in South Turtle Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2000.
When was South Turtle Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed South Turtle Lake in 2018, the most recent of 7 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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