Minnesota · Polk County
Turtle Lake Fishing guide
Turtle Lake sits in Polk County, Minnesota, and covers 525 acres, reaching 12 ft at its deepest point. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 2 times, most recently in 1991, with walleye, northern pike, bluegill and yellow perch in the nets. That survey is 35 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
The DNR last surveyed Turtle Lake in 1991. Ratings need a survey from the last 20 years, so this page lists the species from that older record without numbers.
- Walleye
- Northern pike
- Bluegill
- Yellow perch
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. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 12-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 12-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Bluegill · Jigs & bladed
Beetle Spin
1.5–2" curly-tail grub trailer on a small in-line spinner jighead
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 | 527,443 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 538,562 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 1991 survey
following several years of moderate winter-kill, turtle lake's fish population status has reverted to its ecological classification-blh. Nop and wts numbers remain strong as well. Nop exhibit an above average growth rate. Cen and percid species have been nearly eliminated by low dissolved oxygen levels during winter.
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
- Cross Lake · 320 ac · 1.8 mi
- Whitefish Lake · 243 ac · 2.2 mi
- Poplar Lake · 91 ac · 4.8 mi
- Spring Lake · 134 ac · 7.4 mi
- Perch Lake · 84 ac · 7.6 mi
- Hill River Lake · 102 ac · 7.6 mi
- Sand Hill Lake · 479 ac · 8 mi
- Store Lake · 50 ac · 8.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Turtle Lake?
Turtle Lake reaches 12 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Turtle Lake?
Turtle Lake covers 525 acres with about 6.7 miles of shoreline.
What fish are in Turtle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 1991) record walleye, northern pike, bluegill, yellow perch.
Is Turtle Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2023.
Does Turtle Lake have a public access?
Yes. Turtle Lake has one public access site: Turtle Lake (trailer launch).
When was Turtle Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Turtle Lake in 1991, the most recent of 2 surveys on record. That is more than 20 years ago, so this page lists species without ratings.
Page updated .
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The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Turtle Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
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