9 miles south of Bigfork
Itasca County, Minnesota · 47.6245° N, 93.7117° W
Directions to Turtle Lake Public Water Access SiteApple Maps
Directions open in Google or Apple Maps, to the Minnesota DNR public access site.
Updated 19 Oct 2026, 6:04 pm EDT.
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Minnesota DNR lake survey, fetched 15 Oct 2026. Not for navigation.
1 public access site on Turtle Lake.
Minnesota DNR public water accesses, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 9 stockings of Turtle Lake in 5 of the years 2017 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 9,652 walleye fingerlings. Species stocked: walleye.
Latest: 2025: 9,652 walleye fingerlings.
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 Lake was in August 2017: 13 gill nets and 15 trap nets caught 14 species.
Walleye per gill net, standard surveys: 1995 3.9 · 2000 2.0 · 2005 3.6 · 2010 4.3 · 2017 4.8
Bluegill per trap net, standard surveys: 1995 14 · 2000 12 · 2005 12 · 2010 20 · 2017 10
Walleye: 67 measured, 12 to 29 in, half 16 in or longer; average 2.2 lb, above normal (normal 1.1–1.9 lb).
Northern pike: 23 measured, 19 to 37 in, half 22 in or longer; average 3.8 lb, above normal (normal 1.7–2.8 lb).
Largemouth bass: 50 measured, 4 to 16 in, half 8 in or longer; average 0.65 lb, normal (normal 0.6–1 lb).
Smallmouth bass: 146 measured, 4 to 20 in, half 15 in or longer; average 2.5 lb, above normal (normal 0.9–1.8 lb).
Black crappie: 11 measured, 6 to 11 in, half 8 in or longer; average 0.37 lb, normal (normal 0.3–0.6 lb).
Also caught: bowfin (dogfish), lake whitefish, pumpkinseed, tullibee (cisco), white sucker, yellow bullhead.
Source: Minnesota DNR Fisheries lake survey, 7 Aug 2017, 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 15 ft: the Secchi depth across 2 readings, 2010–2017.
Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and volunteer Secchi readings, via Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, fetched 15 Oct 2026.
Minnesota DNR lake survey; straight-line miles.
Turtle Lake is 137 feet at its deepest point, measured by Minnesota DNR survey. It covers 2,126 acres.
Yes. 1 public access site is listed: Turtle Lake Public Water Access Site.
Yes. Minnesota DNR stocking reports list 9 stockings of it in 5 of the years 2017 to 2025. The most recent, in 2025, included 9,652 walleye fingerlings.
Minnesota DNR’s August 2017 standard survey caught 14 species, most often bluegill, rock bass, walleye and smallmouth bass.
About 78% of the lake's area is deeper than 10 feet, measured from Minnesota DNR depth contours.