Turtle Lake Fishing Guide, Aitkin County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Turtle Lake falls in Aitkin County, part of Minnesota. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. At roughly 17 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. It is a small entry by Aitkin County standards. Some 9.2 miles away sits Aitkin, the nearest settlement. Crosby lies 19 miles off, Vineland another 22 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Turtle Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Fish documented in Aitkin County include northern pike, bluegill and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Turtle Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 68°F and January reads 6°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Turtle Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Section Twenty-Five Lake is 0.7 miles off. What applies at Turtle Lake may have changed since it was mapped.