Turtle River
Beltrami County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 04011100
DNR records show 4 stocking entries at Turtle River since 2019, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (331,000 fish).
- Turtle River has 4 DNR stocking records across 4 years (2019-2025): walleye (4).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 1,338,000 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 63 ft, mean depth 20 ft; surface area 1,740 acres, 669 littoral acres, 17.3 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 9.2 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, burbot, hybrid sunfish, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, northern sunfish, pumpkinseed, and 8 more.
- 1 public access on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- Beltrami County, nearest town Turtle River; DNR lake number (DOW) 04011100.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 5/3/1991 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 331,000 | 2.9 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 337,000 | 2.7 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 335,000 | 2.9 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 335,000 | 2.7 |
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| concrete ramp | Minnesota DNR | Designated public access on North shore near inlet. 6-8 unit parking. Sec. 33. 1/2 mile east of Turtle River. |
DNR fish survey, 2023
A temperature-dissolved oxygen profile was collected in three of the deepest basins on Turtle River Lake on August 10, 2023, to evaluate the amount of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Cisco, also known as Tullibee. Based on the profiles, the top of the thermocline (i.e., the location in the water column with the sharpest transition from warm to cold water) occurred at approximately 16 feet. Dissolved oxygen decreased to below 3.0 mg/L at 19.7 feet, which was within the thermocline, at the time of sampling. The temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to below 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 19.8°C (67.6°F). TDO3 values near 21.5°C indicate that oxythermal conditions are marginal for Cisco. Data collected in 1993-2016 further indicate marginal oxythermal habitat in most years, with the least favorable conditions recorded in 2016. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Cisco are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and therefore experience higher levels of stress.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
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