Turtle Lake near Bemidji: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Look for Turtle Lake in Beltrami County, Minnesota. The water sits 1,335 feet up. At some 2.5 sq miles it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. It is among the larger waters listed here for Beltrami County. Bemidji lies 10 miles from the water. Further out sit Redby (18 miles) and Red Lake (19 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Turtle Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Beltrami County, recorded fish include walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, largemouth bass and white sucker. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Turtle Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 3°F and July at about 67°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about mid November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. The season on Turtle Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Des Moines Lake, 1.2 miles away. The position on Turtle Lake is worth confirming on the day.