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Stream Details

Turtle Creek

General Information

County: Mitchell
Location: Located about 1/2 mile north of St. Ansgar off of Highway 218.
Stream Segment Length: 2.20

Amenities

Amenities at Turtle Creek include:
  • Trails
  • Good/Excellent Shorefishing
  • Accessible Shoreline
Trout continue to provide nice catches for anglers. Catchable Rainbow Trout stocking begins April 1. Plenty of brown and rainbow trout remain in streams to tease anglers. Stocking calendar is posted on our website.
Brook Trout - Fair: Midge and caddis fly hatches have been plentiful on warm sunny afternoons. Use care not to scare this skittish fish or it will slow your efforts.
Brown Trout - Good: With extreme clear water, try angling in the evening for a wily brownie. Another time to find brown trout is when the water clouds up after a rainfall event.
Rainbow Trout - Good: Many holdover rainbows remain in the stream. Anglers using a small chunk of worm under a bobber floated in deeper water should get a bite.

Turtle Creek is stocked weekly April through October with catchable 10-12 inch Rainbow Trout and also provides opportunities for wild Brown Trout. Sampling data from 2011 showed 452 French Creek strain Brown Trout with fish up to 16 inches collected. Natural reproduction was first detected in 2009 and the 2011 sample confirmed consistent natural reproduction. This is an estimated population and actual trout numbers will be higher. Turtle Creek runs through the Boerjan Wildlife Area owned by the Mitchell County Conservation Board, as well as, several private landowners. There are many easy access points on this stream. Please be aware that segments of the stream are on private property where only angling is permitted.(2022)

Download Printable Stream Map

Parking Access
Catchable Trout Waters
Fingerling Stocked or Natural Reproduction
Restrictive Regulation Stream

You can zoom the map in and out using the slider on the left hand side, and you can pan the map by clicking and dragging. Rollover features for more information. Click streams to go to their page.

    No known aquatic invasive species have been found
  • Winter 2022 - 8,727 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2021 - 8,100 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • Annual 2020 - 9,012 Rainbow Trout (12)
  • annual 2019 - 2,874 Brook Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2019 - 6,405 Rainbow Trout (10.8)
  • annual 2018 - 2,700 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2018 - 6,383 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 2,085 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2017 - 6,915 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 1,005 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2016 - 7,796 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 1,334 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2015 - 7,698 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 1,683 Brook Trout (2-3/lb)
  • annual 2014 - 6,807 Rainbow Trout (2-3/lb)
The Fishing Regulations brochure is available for download. The summaries listed below are a partial listing provided for your benefit.

  • Brown Trout
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Anglers must have paid the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout
  • Rainbow Trout
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 5 fish
    • Possession Limit: combined trout (brook, brown, and rainbow) - 10 fish
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: Anglers must have paid the Trout Fee to fish for or possess trout
  • White Sucker
    • Season: Continuous
    • Daily Bag Limit: none
    • Possession Limit: unlimited
    • Length Limit: none
    • Other: May be taken by hand fishing, by snagging, by spear or by bow and arrow, day or night.
Tip: Click the arrow in the lower right corner to view the Fish Survey Data tool in full-screen mode.

Iowa-Caught Fish Are Safe to Eat, In Almost All Cases

The vast majority of Iowa’s streams, rivers and lakes offer safe and high-quality fish that pose little or no threat to human health if consumed. Some limitations may apply for young children and pregnant women. Here’s a Fish Consumption Fact Sheet from the Iowa DNR and the Iowa Dept. of Public Health for more information. Here is a list of current fish consumption advisories for Iowa lakes and rivers.

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