Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest April 17, 2025
Species recorded at North Turtle Lake
12 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at North Turtle Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 22, 2024 caught 80.83 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at North Turtle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Turtle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
9 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-04-17 (Targeted Survey).
9 surveys on file · most recent 2025-04-17 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 27.03 | 6–13 in 2020-08-17 | 0.78 lb |
| Bluegill | 26.78 | 3–7 in 2020-08-17 | 0.15 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 24.49 | 2–18 in 2024-05-22 | 1.83 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 21.04 | 5–10 in 2020-08-17 | 0.13 lb |
| Yellow Bullhead | 19.14 | 5–16 in 2020-08-17 | 0.52 lb |
| Black Crappie | 9.60 | 5–13 in 2025-04-17 | 0.33 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Yellow Perch
From the 2025-04-17 survey
North Turtle Lake is a 1,484-acre eutrophic (fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County immediately northeast of Underwood, MN. North Turtle Lake is part of the Otter Tail River Watershed. There are no navigable inlets or outlets. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for North Turtle Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — North TurtleFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — North TurtleFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — North TurtlePublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in North Turtle Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 22, 2024 caught 80.83 largemouth bass per hour of electrofishing at North Turtle Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–18 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 12 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was North Turtle Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for North Turtle Lake is dated April 17, 2025. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is North Turtle Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for North Turtle Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how North Turtle Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows North Turtle Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class: a lake with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near North Turtle Lake
Top-rated places to stay near North Turtle Lake
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