Albert Lea Lake Fishing Reports

[Scott M]

I wouldn't thumb my nose at Albert Lea unless this winter is full of snow and she winterkills....LOADS of walleye in there, it was absolutely LACED with walleye fry for 4 years, check out the stocking reports HERE . Type in Freeborn county and 2004-2007. Lots of fry, and most of them took. Commercial netters report catching more walleye than carp. Heck of a bite from opener till around the 4th of July this year.

Matter of fact, if a guy puts his time in it this winter, you will look pretty smart walking out with a limit of 6. Find aggregating structures or substrates and you'll get your fish.

I can't think of a better south-central MN lake to find eater walleyes. Get em while they're in there!

[morefishplease]

Well said da_chise. The lake is actually the way you described it, we have had excellent walleye fishing on the lake, Fountain also if you put the time in, this fall an 8.5 lb walleye was cought during a bass tournament. I would post pics of some catches from this spring but they are stringer pics. This would be a great lake to have an FM get together, especially if your looking to have fish fry.

[CrappiesNCats]

there are a lot of walleyes in both lakes, but the lack of CPR in Albert Lea is ridiculous.

soon the ice bite will be on, avoid the masses and you can be greatly rewarded in more than just walleyes.

[wanger29]

It saddens a guy to release those 20-24 inchers cos' you know someone down the road's gonna have it in there freezer. I too wish more would practice C & R, especially on those bigger ones. Also if everyone would adhere to the 1 over 20" rule/state law it could be a different story too. When I was there last time I was not only amazed at the numbers of people fishing but the fact that each person had a pretty good looking stringer established. That's been a number of months now & I haven't been back there since. That pressure was absolutely amazing! From the reports I've been hearing I often think that all that pressure may have made an impact??? Now I know that's an overgeneralized theory and too easy of an arguement but it often times crosses my mind.

[CrappiesNCats]

It saddens a guy to release those 20-24 inchers cos' you know someone down the road's gonna have it in there freezer. I too wish more would practice C & R, especially on those bigger ones. Also if everyone would adhere to the 1 over 20" rule/state law it could be a different story too. When I was there last time I was not only amazed at the numbers of people fishing but the fact that each person had a pretty good looking stringer established. That's been a number of months now & I haven't been back there since. That pressure was absolutely amazing! From the reports I've been hearing I often think that all that pressure may have made an impact??? Now I know that's an overgeneralized theory and too easy of an arguement but it often times crosses my mind.

call TIP. i have in the past and the CO actually will show up. People are taking too much advantage of the post freeze out stocking several years ago. I know its well within the law, but my viewpoints on fishing have changed so much that my blood pressure rises too much fishing in AL now. I wish AL/Fountain would qualify for special regs. It'll never happen, but to preserve that fishery i really wish AL/Fountain would get a slot limit as well as a limit of 3 fish.

[morefishplease]

For sure I have heard people taking advantage of the fishery which is sad, needless to say I'm pretty sure some stringers I seen this spring and late fall last year had more than one over 20". The problem with that lake is that when the bite turns on, it is usually in one or two areas of the whole lake and everyone and their brother storms out there. Ice fishing off of ny pt. last winter was a joke, glad I got out there before the masses.

[wanger29]

Yeah, I'd ran into a CO twice this season and shared those concerns. He wasn't too specific but did mention some good news regarding being proactive in stopping that from happening. Matter of fact he happened to catch a few people both double dipping and over 20".

[bigeyechaser92]

any info on the bridges in or outside of the area? kids want to go do some fishing after school today and trying to find them a place to get some fish.

[CrappiesNCats]

any info on the bridges in or outside of the area? kids want to go do some fishing after school today and trying to find them a place to get some fish.

it would pay to fish any of the bridges in town. multi-species. if you don't mind losing tackle fish the dam by the china restaurant. if you want the cops to chase you off fish the railroad bridge at the channel. pannies/eyes can be caught from either bridge on fountain. or if you want to be lazy drop some chicken liver off any rip rap in town and you can get nice cats.

let us know how you did

[bigeyechaser92]

thanks for the help full info. i'll let you know how it goes or just listen to your scanners when the cops chase us off the railroad bridge. HAHA

[CrappiesNCats]

thanks for the help full info. i'll let you know how it goes or just listen to your scanners when the cops chase us off the railroad bridge. HAHA

somebody fell off it once (maybe 7 years ago or so?) and they've been chasing ever since

[bryguy247]

Actually, it is always illegal to hunt from or fish from railroad bridges and train tracks. It is not owned by the city but by the railroad. So the cops and the rail workers can tell you to leave. You are not even suppose to walk them anymore. There goes all the fun, but good luck fishing..

[CrappiesNCats]

Actually, it is always illegal to hunt from or fish from railroad bridges and train tracks. It is not owned by the city but by the railroad. So the cops and the rail workers can tell you to leave. You are not even suppose to walk them anymore. There goes all the fun, but good luck fishing..

true, but they never bothered anyone until that guy fell in.

[bigeyechaser92]

well never made it out to get any fishing in yet. probably have to wait for the ice now

[bolan16]

There where 3 clowns down there by breeze dock today i herd. my friend talked with 1 of them and his buddy had to leave bceause he cracked through. had bucket drop minnows were all over. they were on inch and half of ice he said.

[bryguy247]

There were guys in the channel by the city pool on Albert Lea Lake, they even had portables out there.

[morefishplease]

I seen that too. Must be nuts!

[CrappiesNCats]

portables already? yikes. i have seen more than a few people go in at the channel. soon the two villages in town will be growing. poor saps. but let them set up in those areas/ they are the best fishing spots.......

[norwall]

Crappie....cmon you'll be right un there 2 hahahhaha

[CrappiesNCats]

Crappie....cmon you'll be right un there 2 hahahhaha

nope, i like to catch fish. if thats what they think they are doing there, i'm ok that they set up there

[norwall]

haha yeah I know what ur sayin,who knows what goes thru sum of those peoples mind

[wanger29]

The carnival in town yet then?

[bryguy247]

Ha Ha Not yet, I am guessing by the second week in December it will be. Last year everyone started inside the channel and by the end they were all outside the channel entering into the lake.

late nights were some of the best action. I wish it wasn't forze yet, I had some very good action from the shore line, until the ice got in my way. But it's that time of year again.

[SGT Jigger]

Hey, i see alot of you talkin down on the early ice fishing season in the chanel for wally's where are some other good spots? i would greatly appreciate some input or tips

[norwall]

There is no better spot than the channel(china rest.channl btw) ,why spend countless hrs on a dead sea? tha channel is your ticket to fish in the ol frying pan my friend

[SGT Jigger]

got a few buddy's spending the day on the chanel today, any idea of anything bitting this early or how far the ice is out or thickness yet

[bolan16]

There is no better spot than the channel(china rest.channl btw) ,why spend countless hrs on a dead sea? tha channel is your ticket to fish in the ol frying pan my friend

How's that been work'n for ya so far this hardwater season then???

[CrappiesNCats]

that rain snow mix on saturday night really set things back, badly. the lake would have been ready had it not been for that bit of weather.

[bigeyechaser92]

anything happening on the creaks outside of town yet?

[wanger29]

From what I've been hearing the whole area's been the "Dead Sea". Reports have been coming to me pretty empty.