Turtle Lake (Todd County)
Todd County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 77008800
DNR records show 5 stocking entries at Turtle Lake (Todd County) since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2024 (50,000 fish).
- Turtle Lake (Todd County) has 5 DNR stocking records across 5 years (2016-2024): walleye (5).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 200,913 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 39 ft, mean depth 20 ft; surface area 112 acres, 34 littoral acres, 2.2 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 12.5 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, greater redhorse, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, and 6 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Todd County, nearest town Staples; DNR lake number (DOW) 77008800.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 6/27/1960 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | fry | 50,000 | 0.5 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 50,000 | 0.5 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 50,000 | 0.5 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 50,000 | 0.5 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fingerlings | 913 | 34.0 |
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | North side of lake |
DNR fish survey, 2025
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Black crappie | Standard electrofishing | 61.00 | 61 | 0.43 |
| Tullibee (cisco) | Standard gill nets | 42.00 | 42 | 1.20 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 9.00 | 9 | 1.93 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 1.00 | 1 | 0.29 |
| Bluegill | Special trap nets | 19.48 | 448 | 0.10 |
| Northern pike | Special trap nets | 6.43 | 148 | 1.48 |
| Yellow perch | Special trap nets | 3.43 | 79 | 0.06 |
| Pumpkinseed | Special trap nets | 3.22 | 74 | 0.05 |
| Black crappie | Special trap nets | 1.04 | 24 | 0.38 |
| Rock bass | Special trap nets | 0.78 | 18 | 0.04 |
| Bowfin (dogfish) | Special trap nets | 0.74 | 17 | 0.00 |
| White sucker | Special trap nets | 0.70 | 16 | 2.54 |
Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.
Turtle Lake (DOW# 77-0088-00; Lake Class 28) is a 112- acre lake located near Browerville, Minnesota. A Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (MNDNR) owned concrete boat ramp is located on the west shore. Turtle Lake has 2.19 miles of shoreline and a maximum depth of 39 feet. Turtle provides multiple angling opportunities. Northern Pike captured in 2025 ranged 9 to 36 inches and averaged just over 17 inches. Populations with large Northern Pike are easily impacted by harvest, especially in small lakes such as Turtle. Anglers can assist in preserving this fishery by harvesting small pike and releasing large individuals. Walleye fingerlings are stocked in even numbered years. Large Walleye are consistently observed in surveys, however, abundance appears to be low. A total of 5 walleyes were captured in 2025, with lengths ranging from 15 to 28 inches and averaging over 23 inches. Black Crappie up to 12 inches were captured in 2025, with good numbers present. Bluegill in Turtle are generally small, but some individuals captured in 2025 measured over 8 inches. Largemouth Bass are not actively managed in Turtle. Large fish are present, however, with one individual captured in 2025 measuring over 20 inches. Turtle supports a population of Tullibee (Cisco). This species requires cold, well-oxygenated water, is found in a minority of lakes in the area and are an important food source for large Northern Pike and Walleye, as well as an opportunity for ice anglers. Cisco captured in 2025 measured up to 18 inches.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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