Minnesota · Beltrami County
Turtle Lake Fishing guide
Turtle Lake sits in Beltrami County, Minnesota, and covers 1,607 acres, reaching 45 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 8.9 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5per gill net11"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 100 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 100 fish
2021Lengths measured · 145 fish
2016Lengths measured · 54 fish
2011Lengths measured · 140 fish
2007Largemouth bassJust a few18.9per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 24 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 24 fish
2021Lengths measured · 68 fish
2016Lengths measured · 6 fish
2011Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 14 fish
2007Northern pikeFair numbers8.1per gill net21"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 103 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 103 fish
2021Lengths measured · 127 fish
2016Lengths measured · 136 fish
2011Lengths measured · 115 fish
2007BluegillJust a few6.5per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 124 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 124 fish
2021Lengths measured · 324 fish
2016Lengths measured · 110 fish
2011Lengths measured · 231 fish
2007CrappieJust a few0.1per trap net12"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 11 fish
2021Lengths measured · 2 fish
2016Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2011Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2007Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchExcellent numbers21.7per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 292 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 292 fish
2021Lengths measured · 189 fish
2016Lengths measured · 365 fish
2011Lengths measured · 371 fish
2007Rock bassExcellent numbers5.2per seine haul7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 143 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 143 fish
2021Lengths measured · 54 fish
2016Lengths measured · 101 fish
2011Lengths measured · 133 fish
2007Rates 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 Turtle Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 45 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. On a lake that drops to 45 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 23" | 31" | 19" |
| 2016 | 26" | 34" | 18" |
| 2011 | 26" | 36" | 16" |
| 2007 | 25" | 36" | 17" |
| 2003 | 23" | 33" | 19" |
| 1998 | 24" | 42" | 12" |
| 1993 | 23" | 43" | 16" |
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
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 687,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 731,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 702,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 720,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 708,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Turtle Lake on August 6th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake. During the summer, Cisco require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on the profile from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth 42.6 feet), the water temperature decreased below 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) at 26.2 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 26.2 feet at the time of sampling. Therefore, the water column did not contain a layer of water with sufficient temperature and dissolved oxygen for Cisco.
Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 21.3 degrees C (70.3 degrees F). TDO3 values warmer than 21.2 degrees C (70.2 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were unsuitable for Cisco at the time of the survey.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 2023 and 2021 also indicate unsuitable oxythermal habitat with no habitat present. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Turtle Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on 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
- Turtle Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Turtle Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Turtle Lake · 469 ac · 1.7 mi
- Movil Lake · 855 ac · 1.8 mi
- Black Lake · 271 ac · 2.5 mi
- Three Island Lake · 730 ac · 3 mi
- Beltrami Lake · 726 ac · 3.1 mi
- Campbell Lake · 463 ac · 3.5 mi
- Julia Lake · 511 ac · 3.6 mi
- Long Lake · 664 ac · 5.5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Turtle Lake?
Turtle Lake reaches 45 ft at its deepest point; about 45% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Turtle Lake?
Turtle Lake covers 1,607 acres with about 11.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Turtle Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Turtle Lake average 8.9 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Turtle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Turtle Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Turtle Lake have a public access?
Yes. Turtle Lake has one public access site: Turtle Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Turtle Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 23"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Turtle Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Turtle Lake in 2025, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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