2 miles east of Turtle River
Beltrami County, Minnesota · 47.5797° N, 94.7244° W
Directions to Turtle River Lake (W) Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access sites (2 listed; this is the first).
Updated 19 Oct 2026, 5:47 pm EDT.
National Weather Service; National Interagency Fire Center; U.S. EPA CyAN satellite; Minnesota DNR. Weather, warnings, fires and satellite refresh when you open the page (checked at most hourly).
Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
2 public access sites on Turtle River Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 4 stockings of Turtle River Lake in 4 of the years 2019 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 331,000 walleye fry. Species stocked: walleye.
Latest: 2025: 331,000 walleye fry.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries (LakeFinder stocking reports), fetched 15 Oct 2026. How we measure
Measured from Minnesota DNR contours. How we measure
Minnesota DNR’s latest standard fish survey of Turtle River Lake was in August 2021: 15 gill nets and 15 trap nets caught 18 species. The DNR also ran a targeted survey in August 2023; this section uses the latest standard survey.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 2003 6.9 · 2007 3.5 · 2011 4.6 · 2016 3.6 · 2021 4.3
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 2003 6.9 · 2007 5.0 · 2011 1.2 · 2016 8.3 · 2021 4.3
Walleye: 74 measured, 6 to 26 in, half 17 in or longer; average 1.6 lb, normal (normal 1.2–2.4 lb).
Northern pike: 170 measured, 8 to 35 in, half 19 in or longer; average 1.8 lb, normal (normal 1.5–2.7 lb).
Largemouth bass: 14 measured, 4 to 17 in, half 5 in or longer; average 0.15 lb, below normal (normal 0.2–0.9 lb).
Black crappie: 39 measured, 5 to 11 in, half 9 in or longer; average 0.55 lb, above normal (normal 0.2–0.4 lb).
Bluegill: 99 measured, 3 to 10 in, half 8 in or longer; average 0.28 lb, normal (normal 0.1–0.3 lb).
Also caught: bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, shorthead redhorse, tadpole madtom, tullibee (cisco), white sucker, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 31 Aug 2021, via LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Normal range: DNR’s range for lakes of the same class (43 classes, grouped by water chemistry and shape). Each line has its own scale. How we measure
Measured water clarity averages about 9 ft: the Secchi depth across 6 readings, 2007–2023.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Turtle River Lake is 63 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 1,740 acres.
Yes. 2 public access sites are listed: Turtle River Lake (W) Public Water Access Site; Turtle River Lake (N) Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 4 stockings of it in 4 of the years 2019 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 331,000 walleye fry.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2021 standard survey caught 18 species, most often yellow perch, northern pike, rock bass and bluegill.
About 71% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.