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We want to see what you've caught on Turtle Lake.Frequently Asked Questions About Turtle Lake, MN
- How big is Turtle Lake?
- How deep is Turtle Lake?
- What kind of fish can you catch in Turtle Lake?
- What are the closest cities to Turtle Lake?
- Are there places to stay in the Turtle Lake area?
- Are there boat launches on Turtle Lake?
- Are there places to eat and drink near Turtle Lake?
- What is the average air temp for Turtle Lake?
- Are there any state parks near Turtle Lake?
How big is Turtle Lake?
How deep is Turtle Lake?
What kind of fish can you catch in Turtle Lake?
Other fish species in the lake include Bluntnose Minnow, Green Sunfish, Hybrid Sunfish, Iowa Darter, Spottail Shiner and White Sucker.
What are the closest cities to Turtle Lake?
Are there places to stay in the Turtle Lake area?
More Lodging Options
Are there boat launches on Turtle Lake?
Are there places to eat and drink near Turtle Lake?
Explore the Turtle Lake area in a RV
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What aquatic invasive species are found in Turtle Lake?
Join us in the fight to prevent the spread of invasive species These sneaky creatures can hitch a ride on boats, clinging onto propellers, anchor lines, and trailers. They can even survive in hidden places like bilge water and ballast tanks, or disguise themselves in dirt and sand that sticks to nets, buckets, anchors, and waders. But don't worry, we have the power to stop them in their tracks with just a few simple steps. So let's do our part and protect our waters from these unwanted invaders.
History & Status of the Fishery
Turtle Lake is a shallow 218-acre, productive basin located in southern Douglas County. Basin structure is somewhat unique in that the western half of the lake is very shallow with depths of five feet or less. The deeper portion of the lake is located in the eastern half of the lake, where maximum depth approaches 21.0 feet. Aquatic vegetation is common in the western basin and is present around the eastern shoreline. Water transparency at time of the mid-July survey was measured at 5.5 feet.
Turtle Lake is now designated as an infested waterbody due to the presence of zebra mussels, which were first confirmed in 2013. Regulations restricting bait harvest and transport of water apply to this basin. For more information regarding aquatic invasive species in Minnesota see the following: http://www.dnr.state.mn.us/invasives/aquatic/index.html
A standardized fish community assessment was completed on Turtle Lake, July 13-17, 2015. A combination of six gill nets and nine trap nets were used. An electrofishing survey was completed on June 5, 2015 to assess abundance and size structure of the Largemouth Bass population.
Turtle Lake supports an abundant Walleye population. Gill net catches averaged 15.0-Walleyes/net. Average size of captures was 14.7 inches and 1.2 pounds. Most captures were young fish (less than five-years-old). Walleyes grow fast in Turtle Lake. Many four-year-old fish were sampled in the 2015 survey and should approach 18.0 inches in 2016.
Northern Pike remain abundant in Turtle Lake. Gill net catches averaged 7.5-fish/net. Average length of pike captures was 21.2 inches. The largest individual caught measured 26.9 inches. Due to high numbers of small Northern Pike, anglers are encouraged to harvest these fish to reduce densities. Increased harvest of small pike would provide potential benefits to growth rates and size of pike, and increase survival of young Walleyes stocked into Turtle Lake.
Turtle Lake supports a fair to good Largemouth Bass fishery. An electrofishing catch rate of 32.8 bass/hour of effort describes a modest population density. Total lengths of electrofishing captures ranged from 3.5 to 17.3 inches and averaged 10.6 inches. Eight of 66 captures were 15.0 inches or larger.
Bluegill catches were much higher than anticipated in response to greater recruitment of young Bluegills into the population since 2010. The high proportion of young Bluegills in the population was evident in the modest average size of the trap net catch (5.8 inches). Bluegill growth is rapid, so fishing quality should improve as the population ages. The faster growing individuals produced in 2010 should exceed 8.0 inches in 2016.
Turtle Lake continues to support an elevated abundance of Black Crappie. The 2015 trap net catch was composed of six age groups (ages 1-6). Average length of crappies captured with trap nets was 8.3 inches. Length of all captures ranged from 3.5 to 13.2 inches. Growth was rapid in Turtle Lake. Young crappies from two large year classes (2011 and 2013) will quickly grow into desirable sizes.
Yellow Perch also proved to be abundant at time of the 2015 survey. Most perch captures were between 5.0 and 8.0 inches in length. Yellow Perch constitute an important prey base for predators in Turtle Lake, but few grow large enough to harvest. Only one 10.0-inch perch was recorded in the gill net catch.
A concrete boat launch is located in the southwest corner of Turtle Lake just off of Douglas County Road 88 SW.
What is the average air temp for Turtle Lake?
Are there any state parks near Turtle Lake?
For more Minnesota State Park information see our State Park Guide.
More Nearby Lakes To Explore
There's more lake's to explore around Turtle Lake...DISTANCE | ACRES | MAX DEPTH | |
Maple Lake | 1.5 mi | 831 | 78 ft |
Lake Reno | 2.4 mi | 3,794 | 23 ft |
Lake Andrew | 3.2 mi | 918 | 83 ft |
Union Lake | 4.1 mi | 107 | 45 ft |
Union Lake | 4.2 mi | 117 | 42 ft |
Ann Lake | 5.4 mi | 370 | 14 ft |
Lake Mary | 5.4 mi | 2,450 | 40 ft |
Pocket Lake | 5.7 mi | 263 | 40 ft |
Lake Burgan | 5.9 mi | 174 | 43 ft |
Nelson Lake | 6.4 mi | 86 | 52 ft |