Albert Lea Lake Fishing Reports

[eyenut17]

as of yesterday towards the east shore it was still good. i went towards the middle about 100 yards or so from bridge and it was only 4 inches not enough for me so i went back by shore. the thing about the channel it always changes never trust the ice

[KK]

Is the ice off yet...if so has anyone noticed any kind of fish kill?

[Whisker Trout Slayer]

I drove across the I35 bridge Tuesday aroud 5pm and did not see any ice on either side of the bridge. The wind had the waves rolling good.

Went by to fast to nitice any dead fish.

[jerad_s]

We retreived the aerators today and worked half of the shoreline west of the I35 bridge picking up our thin-ice signs and didnt notice more than 3-4 dead carp. It appears we dodged the bullet this year, thanks to that first big warm-up and the watersheds aerators.

[KTapper]

Thats really good to hear!

[bryguy247]

I havent noticed any dead fish either. I see our nice little lake made the list in the Minnesota Sportsmans Magazine for best places to go for opener. If you guys havent seen the article,,,, that channel is going to be packed with people. Basically he said the best walleye fishing is right where (everyone was ice fishing this year). So opener will be interesting. I wonder how many boaters will be stuffed in that little channel, not even counting the shore fishers.

[nate larson]

Minnesota Sportsman said the same thing last year...

[norwall]

Bolan, I think theres alot more to be said about one of the finest lakes in the state,anytime ya can include AL lake in the same breath as LOTW,Winnie,Leech,Mille Lacs this lake must be the real deal holyfield..the more the merrier. On a sidenote I heard the only reason AL lake keeps coming up in this publication is that 1 of the writers has ties to the Al area,and gets alot of his info through heresay.

[mr marbles]

I can't see any comparison,Albert Lea lake doe's not rate up there with LOTW AND LEECH OR WINNIE, their just trying to promote the area,opener last year was crowed but died the next day.

[CrappiesNCats]

as a lake in general it doesnt compare. that being said, the temps are a little higher down here and the eyes arent quite as sluggish. top that off with the fact that you dont have to drive far and its cheap to stay.... just bring your own bait if you fish shiners, and prepare to lose most of your bait in AL/Fountain to other fish.

i think i will stay away from AL for awhile though. that first day crowd is no fun in town.

[Hal]

That lake is really that good? I could cancel my Kabetogama trip in June and have equal results if I stayed this south? I'm in! Anyone want to be my guide then?

[KTapper]

Never fished there but it sound like you really would not need a guide fish the channel.

[CrappiesNCats]

Never fished there but it sound like you really would not need a guide fish the channel.

indeed. its a bowl find the channel, find fish. find a point, find fish. you can catch just as many eyes from shore on AL as in a boat. with a good setup you can cast and cover a good portion of it.

[KTapper]

So if I were to come and fish AL sometime this summer I really wouldn't need to bring the boat?

[Morneau132]

Wouldn't need to, but why wouldn't you! Then you can go anywhere!!!!!!!

[CrappiesNCats]

So if I were to come and fish AL sometime this summer I really wouldn't need to bring the boat?

depends on your comfort level. you can obviously access a few more spots with one, but if you were coming to just to concentrate on the channel or wanted to fish the dam, then i wouldnt bring it.

someone else should offer boat advice. i've always fished the spots on AL from shore come open water.

[KTapper]

Well that makes my choice easy Ill just bring my small boat! Don't really need electronics there I guess. I ill just bring my Vex.

[shaunlenway]

Tapper let me know when you are goin down to AL. I could show you around the spots I know and could swing over to Austin and fish the mill pond and the cedar river too

[morefishplease]

As I have stated before, the lake is 4 ft deep with no structure. Not very hard to fish, and no you don't need a boat.

[norwall]

I wonder what people think when they read about the lake and then find out the reality of it ? reminds of a few things I witnessed last yr. when guys were launching their fancy rigs with all the bells and whistles, only to find out theres no depth,structure,etc. Also reminds me of the hardwater season when guys are drilling and drilling only to find 4fow everywhere. not to mention the 2ft of ice so in all reality you are fishing a few ft of water. hmmm now let me think AL or LOTW or Leech ,Winni, Mille Lacs ?

[CrappiesNCats]

what keeps me home? B & B Cafe. Best Pancakes in the world. and i'm not exaggerating. I'd like to meet the man that could eat more than 3....he doesn't exist.

[riverrat56]

CNC, I'll take you up on that challenge.

Are you buying?

[CrappiesNCats]

CNC, I'll take you up on that challenge.

Are you buying?

uff, by more than 3 i mean a full cake more. it'd be like eating 4 childrens saucer sleds. it'd almost be worth the money to see it attempted

[Whisker Trout Slayer]

I gotta see this also.

Where is the B&B Cafe in Albert Lea?

[CrappiesNCats]

its kind of a little hole in the wall. its close to the dam. its on the other side of the dam from the China restaurant (except the B&B doesnt serve ducks and carp from the dam .

dont bring your credit card though or a check. wont take em.

anyway, you other AL guys can back me up (or not) but whenever i go back home i have breakfast there.

anyway, back to fishing. im looking forward to hitting the lake, but not until the crowds die down.

[Minnewawa]

When do you usually start having luck in the channel area? I travel thru AL every week for work and would love to catch a few.

[morefishplease]

When do you usually start having luck in the channel area? I travel thru AL every week for work and would love to catch a few.

IMO through mid June, after the water warms up and turns green its over til late fall. Also it helps if the water is high.

[SHANTY]

How did everyone do on AL?

[CrappiesNCats]

i avoided the masses. that being said i am headed their tomorrow to try some of the methods TO talked about during his seminar.

i will have a report on whether i hit anything or not, tomorrow night

[TSchultz]

I got out there at 2:30am fished until 9am didn't catch crapola. Everyone I talked to wasn't getting much either. It was my first time open water fishing that lake so really didn't know what was going on either.