Lake information report

Name: Turtle River

Public Access Information

Fishing Regulations:

Lake Characteristics

Fish Sampled for the 2007 Survey Year

Length of Selected Species (Trapnet, Gillnet) Sampled for the 2007 Survey Year

Fish Consumption Guidelines

These fish consumption guidelines help people make choices about which fish to eat and how often. Following the guidelines enables people to reduce their exposure to contaminants while still enjoying the many benefits from fish.

Pregnant Women, Women who may become pregnant and Children under age 15

General Population

DOWID - MN DNR, Divion of Waters' lake ID number.

Contaminants listed were measured at levels high enough to warrant a recommendation to limit consumption.

Listing of consumption guidelines do not imply the fish are legal to keep, MN DNR fishing regulations should be consulted.

Dioxin
Mercury
PCBS - Polychlorinated biphenyls
PFOS - Perfluorooctane sulfanate

Status of the Fishery (as of 08/20/2007)

Turtle River Lake is a 1740-acre lake with a maximum depth of 63 feet located in southern Beltrami County next to the town of Turtle River. It is one of several connected lakes commonly referred to as the Turtle River Chain. There is a DNR public access on the northwest end of the lake off of county road 21.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has classified Minnesota lakes into 43 different lake classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Turtle River Lake is in lake class 25. Typically lakes in this lake class are deep, have hard water, are clear, and have irregular shaped shorelines. All fish species typically found in a lake class 25 fish community are found in Turtle River Lake.

Turtle River Lake is included in a special northern pike regulation consistent for all lakes on the Turtle River chain. The regulation requires anglers to immediately release all pike from 24-36 inches, with only one over 36 inches allowed. This regulation, implemented in 2003, is intended to improve the quality of the pike population and help maintain a more balanced predator population. A long-term objective of the protected size regulations is to eventually shift populations from high-densities of small pike to lower density populations of larger pike.

Turtle River Lake was at an advantage when the special regulation was implemented since pike abundance was not abnormally high and some quality size pike still existed. Northern pike abundance in 2007 remained similar to past assessments. Pike sampled range in length from 15 to 35 inches but most are less than 22 inches. There are signs that the regulation is starting to improve the size structure of pike. There have been moderate increases in the number of pike in the 24-36 inch protected slot.

Walleye abundance declined from previous assessments, however, is still comparable to other lake class 25 lakes. Recruitment is entirely from natural reproduction and eleven different year-classes are identified in the 2007 sample, indicating that walleye are reproducing successfully in most years. Most likely the decline in the gill net catch rate is the result of normal fluctuations in year-class strength or sampling variability, but special assessments may be intensified to monitor reproductive success. The Turtle River inlet stream has a well documented walleye spawning run and contains excellent spawning substrate. Recently effort has resumed to remove beaver dams for unobstructed passage and provide velocities necessary to maintain the quality spawning habitat.

There are many members of the sunfish family in Turtle River Lake that anglers should have success fishing for including bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, rock bass, and pumpkinseeds. In order to maintain and improve the quality, anglers are encouraged to show some voluntary restraint when bluegill and other species are biting well. By practicing selective harvest, anglers can harvest the smaller more abundant bluegill for eating and release more of the medium to large fish. This will help maintain balance in the population and increase the opportunity to catch large fish in the future.

Most of the shoreline around Turtle River Lake is private and subject to development. Development pressure is increasing around the shorelines and within the watersheds on Minnesota lakes. This degrades water quality and impacts valuable shoreline habitat. Native shoreline vegetation provides habitat for fish and wildlife, filters harmful nutrients, and protects against shoreline erosion. Lakeshore owners can minimize their impact on shoreline and maintain a more natural setting while actually decreasing annual maintenance. For more information on how to accomplish this, contact the nearest Area Fisheries office or go to the following website: www.dnr.state.mn.us/shorelandmgmt. ?

For more information on this lake, contact: Area Fisheries Supervisor 2114 Bemidji Ave Bemidji, MN 56601 Phone: (218) 308-2339 Internet: Bemidji Fisheries E-Mail: Bemidji.Fisheries@state.mn.us	Lake maps can be obtained from: Minnesota Bookstore 660 Olive Street St. Paul, MN 55155 (651) 297-3000 or (800) 657-3757 To order, use C0072 for the map-id.
For general DNR Information, contact: DNR Information Center 500 Lafayette Road St. Paul, MN 55155-4040 TDD: (651) 296-6157 or (888) MINNDNR Internet: www.dnr.state.mn.us E-Mail: info.dnr@state.mn.us	Turn in Poachers (TIP):     Toll-free: (800) 652-9093