Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 17, 1989
Turtle Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Turtle Lake average 5.27 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 17, 1989. In Itasca County, Minnesota, Turtle Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 17.1 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Stocking at Turtle Lake
No stocking record for Turtle Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Turtle Lake average 5.27 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 17, 1989.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Turtle Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1989-07-17 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 9.63 | 0.35 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.27 | 1.57 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.75 | 0.35 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 1.96 | 0.17 lb |
| Black Crappie | 1.88 | 0.53 lb |
| Walleye | 0.86 | 1.97 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This is not a weekly bite report.
From the 1989-07-17 survey
WALLEYES, ALTHOUGH NEVER STOCKED IN GRASS LAKE, HAVE BEEN SAMPLED IN BOTH THE 1978 SURVEY AND THIS ASSESSMENT. YOUNG-OF-THE-YEAR LARGEMOUTH BASS WERE CAPTURED IN THE MINNOW TRAPS BUT NONE WERE CAUGHT IN THE NETS. NORTHERN PIKE ABUNDANCE, AS INDICATED BY GILLNET CATCH, IS WELL ABOVE STATE AND LOCAL MEDIANS.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Turtle Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — GrassFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Grass (0708)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Turtle Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Turtle Lake average 5.27 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 17, 1989. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Turtle Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Turtle Lake is dated July 17, 1989. 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 Turtle Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Turtle Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Turtle Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Turtle Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is stable. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is 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 can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
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