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South Turtle Lake is located in central Otter Tail County approximately four miles east of Underwood, MN. South Turtle Lake is a 630-acre moderately fertile lake that is located within the Otter Tail River Watershed. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 35 feet; however, 63 percent of the lake is less than 15 feet deep. The secchi disk reading during the 2000 lake survey was 15.8 feet which indicates excellent water clarity. Previous secchi disk readings have ranged from 5.5 to 12.7 feet. Periodic plankton/algae blooms throughout the summer months can influence secchi disk readings. South Turtle Lake is included in lake class 25 of the Minnesota DNR's lake classification scheme. The north and west shorelines have been extensively developed. Homes, cottages, and resorts compose the majority of the development. The 1996 lake resurvey referenced 112 homes/cabins and two resorts/campgrounds. A state owned public access is located 0.5 miles south of County Road 122 along the north shoreline of the lake. The shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand, gravel, and rubble. South Turtle Lake is composed of two distinct basins. The west basin is deeper and more developed. A large stand of hardstem bulrush is located along the east and south shorelines. The east basin is shallower (less than 15 feet) and less developed. Hardstem bulrush and common cattail are prevalent along the shoreline of this basin. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush and cattail provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms, and can actually absorb and break down polluting chemicals. Emergent plants provide spawning areas for fish such as northern pike, largemouth bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit. To maintain the excellent water quality and angling that this lake has to offer, it is imperative to preserve the quality of the aquatic habitat. South Turtle Lake can be ecologically classified as a bass-panfish type of lake and this is reflected in the assemblage of the fish community. Northern pike, largemouth bass, walleye, black crappie, and bluegill are the dominant species in the fish community. The prolificacy of these species can be attributed to the abundance of suitable spawning habitat that is available. The northern pike test-net catch rate has remained stable in recent surveys and is within the normal range for lake class 25. Pike ranged in length from 14.7 to 29.3 inches with an average length and weight of 17.9 inches and 1.2 pounds. Pike grow slow in comparison to pike in other lake class 25 lakes; pike attain an average length of 18.8 inches at four years of age. The slow growth rates may be attributed to the low abundance of yellow perch, a preferred forage fish. Test-net catch data indicate that largemouth bass are abundant. Bass ranged in length from 9.1 to inches with an average length and weight of 12.5 inches and 1.1 pounds. Age data indicate that largemouth bass reproduction is consistently good. Bass exhibit good growth rates with an average length of 12.0 inches at four years of age. The test-net catch rate for walleye was equivalent to the upper limit of the normal range for lake class 25. Walleye abundance has typically exceeded the normal range in test-net surveys. Walleye ranged in length from 9.8 to 24.2 inches with an average length and weight of 16.9 inches and 1.8 pounds. Data indicate that natural reproduction supplemented with fingerling stocking is maintaining the walleye population at management goals. Walleye growth rates are excellent with an average length of 14.7 inches at three years of age. Catch data indicate that black crappie and bluegill are abundant. Crappies ranged in length from 5.4 to 13.8 inches with an average length of 10.2 inches. Seventy percent of the crappies in a special spring trapnetting assessment were 10.0 inches or greater in length. Black crappies reach an average length of 10.3 inches at four years of age. Bluegills also exhibit a good size structure; thirty-one percent of the bluegills sampled in the survey were at least 7.0 inches in length. Bluegill reach an average length of 7.2 inches at six years of age. Anglers can maintain the quality of angling by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large-size fish while allowing the harvest of more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future.