Fish Trap

Fish Trap Lake is a 1,164 acre lake located near Lincoln, Minnesota. The lake has 13.12 miles of shoreline, a maximum depth of 42 feet, and a littoral area of 404 acres. A state-owned public access is on the northwest portion of the lake. Primary management species include Northern Pike and Walleye. Secondary management species are Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Largemouth Bass. The lake was initially surveyed in 1957, and a total of 49 various surveys or assessments have been conducted on the lake with the most recent being a Targeted Survey assessing fall young of the year Walleye utilizing electrofishing in 2025. Walleye management on Fish Trap Lake involves spring fry stocking of 3,000/littoral acre or 1,200,000 fry on an annual basis. Flexibility within the management plan allows fall fingerling stocking if fry stocking fails to create a population within management goals as defined by summer gill net catches. Summer surveys are completed every three years with the next survey scheduled for 2027. A decision to stock fingerling Walleyes was made in the fall of 2024 due to consecutive poor fall electrofishing surveys. Fall nighttime electrofishing targeting young of year Walleye to document natural reproduction or survival from fry stocking was initiated in 2004 and is done annually on Fish Trap Lake. Fall sampling was conducted on September 27th, 2025, to document survival from a spring Walleye stocking of 1,200,000 fry. Six stations scattered throughout the lake were sampled, totaling 2 hours of on time. A total of 0 young of the year Walleye were captured during sampling. Catch rates in prior fall EF assessments ranged from 0/hour to 177/hour on time. Recent fall EF surveys have been ineffective in sampling young of the year Walleye, with catch rates since 2017 ranged from 0/hour (N=3) to 9.13/hour (2023). A total catch of 9 adults Walleye averaged 14.1 inches were captured in 2025 for a catch rate of 4.5/hour. Fall electrofishing catch rates show a fairly strong positive relationship with future year class strength identified in future gill net surveys. However, while fall electrofishing catch rates above 40/hour predict a good year class, significant year classes in gill net surveys were also identified in years with zero or low fall electrofishing catch rates. Low catch rates in Fish Trap Lake appear to be associated with the introduction of Zebra Mussels or the recent increased abundance of Wild Celery in shallow water areas throughout the lake. In local lakes that are fry stocked or have natural reproduction, young of the year Walleye are typically found on bare sand or gravel substrates. In recent years Fish Trap Lake has had very little shallow habitat with bare hard substrates since Wild Celery has become abundant. Other species commonly observed during the survey included Bluegill, Bowfin, Black Crappie, Common Shiner, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch. Other shiner species were also present.

A targeted survey was conducted on Fish Trap Lake in 2024 which included standard summer gill netting, spring daytime electrofishing for Largemouth Bass, and fall nighttime electrofishing for juvenile Walleye. Gill net assessments are scheduled to take place every three years as part of a study aimed at determining the impacts of Zebra Mussel infestations on Walleye population dynamics. The primary management species on Fish Trap Lake are Walleye and Northern Pike. Largemouth Bass are a secondary management species. The 2024 gill nets produced a Walleye catch rate of 4.75/lift which was near the historical (2002-2021) average of 4.6/lift. The 2021 gill net catch rate was 3.83/lift. The management objective for Walleye is to maintain a catch rate of 3 or more per lift with at least 65% of the sample measuring 12-20 inches in length. The proportion of fish in the 12-20 inch range in 2024 was 51%. The majority of the remaining fish were larger than 20 inches. Ages 1-5, 7, and 9-12 were represented in the sample. Nearly 80% of the Walleye were Age 5 and under. Walleyes displayed fast growth with Age 3 fish averaging 16.2 inches in the summer gill nets. Most of the fish present could be attributed to fry stocking along with an unknown level of contribution from natural reproduction. The only recent fingerling stocking occurred in 2019 when fry stocking also took place. The 2019 year class appeared modest in the 2024 gill nets being represented by 6 fish. The most prominent year classes were found during fry stocked years with the 2022 year class providing 16 fish and the 2023 year class 8 fish. No stocking was practiced in 2020 due to the Covid-19 pandemic. The 2020 year class was represented by 5 fish in the 2024 gill nets suggesting a noticeable contribution from natural reproduction. Northern Pike gill net catch rates (1970-2024) indicate substantial variation in numbers, primarily since 2010. The 2024 gill net catch rate was 3.08/lift, the lowest since 1957. Recent surveys in 2018 and 2021 resulted in CPEs of 12.0 and 6.6 fish/gill net, respectively. Maintaining pike numbers at the currently lower levels is desirable as Walleye management is a priority. Walleye stocking efforts may be more successful when fewer pike are present and perch, a primary prey species, also tend to be more abundant. A special pike regulation (2003-present) protects fish 24-36 inches with one over 36 inches allowed. The possession limit is three. Pre and post-regulation size structure data indicate large increases in sample percentages of fish >24 and 30 inches using summer gill net and ice-out trap nets. For example, the average percentage of pike >24 and >30 inches sampled by pre-regulation gill nets (7 surveys) was 8% and 1%. By 2024 nearly 60% of the pike exceeded 24 inches and 22% were longer than 30 inches. Average sizes during the pre-regulation period were generally in the 20 inch range. The average pike in the 2021 gill nets measured 23.2 inches and in 2024 the mean length was 25.8 inches. The largest pike measured in 2024 was 36.3 inches and was the longest pike ever taken in the gill nets. Yellow Perch gill net catch rates have also been variable as evidenced by the 4.5/lift captured in 2024 compared to 26.4 fish/gill net in 2021 just three years earlier. While far fewer perch were collected in the 2024 gill nets the fish tended to be larger. Average length in 2024 was 7.8 inches and 40% of the fish were more than 8 inches long. In 2021 average fish was 6.6 inches and fewer than 2% exceeded 8 inches. Bluegill, Black Crappie, and Yellow Bullhead numbers in the 2024 gill nets fell within historical ranges. Large Black Crappies were present in the 2024 sampling. Of the 13 fish captured in the gill nets, 5 exceeded 13 inches and the largest was 15.5 inches. Electrofishing produced a catch of 15 fish with 2 fish longer than 14 inches. No Cisco were taken in the 2021 or 2024 gill nets. Cisco had been present in all gill net surveys from 1994 to 2018. Typically, Cisco catch rates have been 0.5/lift or lower. Daytime electrofishing was performed to assess the Largemouth Bass population and determine if there had been any expansion in the limited presence of Smallmouth Bass. The practice of daytime electrofishing was initiated in 2010 and has been completed 7 times including the 2024 effort. Electrofishing in 2024 produced 171 bass and a catch rate of 102.6 bass per hour. Catch rates since 2010 have ranged from 34.1 to 145.2 per hour and have exceeded 100/hour on 4 occasions including 2024. Average length in 2024 was 11.6 inches and 12% of bass exceeded 15 inches. Smallmouth Bass were not observed during the 2024 electrofishing assessment or any previous spring electrofishing. A single specimen was collected in the 2024 gill nets measuring 11.3 inches. Fish Trap Lake has a history of intermittent Walleye natural reproduction that has been augmented with stocking of various age fish. Fall nighttime electrofishing (EF) has been completed on an annual or biennial basis since 1994 on Fish Trap Lake to evaluate Walleye natural reproduction or fry stocking success. Annual fry stocking was implemented in 2011. A fingerling stocking occurred in fall 2019 after fall evaluations revealed poor fry stocking success from 2017 through 2019. No young-of-year Walleye (YWAE) were observed during the 2024 assessment. Low catches have been frequent since 2017 with no YWAE observed in 2017, 2018, and 2021 in addition to 2024. Just a single YWAE was collected in 2020 when no stocking occurred. The highest catch rate recently observed was 15/hour in 2023. There appears to be no pattern developing in terms of the relationship between stocking rate, fall YWAE EF catch rates, and future year class strength. While fall YWAE EF catch rates above 40/hour appear to predict a good year class, a low or zero catch rate does not necessarily predict a year class failure. Recent poor catches of YWAE in fall assessments have coincided with both Zebra Mussel infestation, and an increased presence of Wild Celery in shallow waters. Sampling stations that previously had barren hard substrates, were covered with dense growth of Wild Celery in several recent surveys. Field staff notes from 2024 indicated a considerable Wild celery presence with most stations having suitable sampling habitats in a fraction of the shoreline site. Additional Walleye fingerling stockings may be considered in the future if fry stocking continues to produce unfavorable results and gill net catches consistently fall below management goals.

Fish Trap Lake is a 1,164-acre lake located near Lincoln, Minnesota. The lake has 13.12 miles of shoreline, a maximum depth of 42 feet, and a littoral area of 404 acres. A state owned public access is on the northwest portion of the lake. Primary management species include Northern Pike and Walleye. Secondary management species are Black Crappie, Bluegill, and Largemouth Bass. The lake was initially surveyed in 1957 and a total of 47 various surveys or assessments have been conducted on the lake with the most recent being a Targeted Survey assessing fall young of the year Walleye utilizing electrofishing in 2022. Walleye management on Fish Trap Lake involves spring fry stocking of 3,000/littoral acre or 1,200,000 fry on an annual basis. Flexibility within the management plan allows fall fingerling stocking if fry stocking fails to create a population within management goals as defined by summer gill net catches. Summer surveys are completed every three years with the next survey scheduled in 2024. A decision to stock fingerling Walleyes may also be made due to consecutive poor fall electrofishing catches. Fall nighttime electrofishing targeting young of year Walleye to document natural reproduction or survival from fry stocking was initiated in 2004 and is done annually on Fish Trap Lake. Fall sampling was conducted on September 18, 2023, to document survival from a spring Walleye stocking of 1,200,000 fry. Six stations scattered throughout the lake were sampled totaling 1.42 hours of on time. A total of 13 young of the year Walleye were captured during sampling for a catch rate of 9.1/hour. Catch rates in prior fall EF assessments ranged from 0/hour to 177/hour of on time. Young of the year Walleye captured averaged 7.0 inches in total length and ranged from 6.2 to 7.8 inches. The median catch rate observed in previous assessments was 5.0/hour with an interquartile range of 1.1/hour to 14.1/hour. Recent fall EF surveys have been ineffective in sampling young of the year Walleye, with catch rates since 2017 ranging from 0/hour (N=3) to 9.13/hour (2023). Two yearling Walleye averaging 11.5 inches were also captured in 2023 for a catch rate of 1.4/hour. Fall electrofishing catch rates show a fairly strong positive relationship with future year class strength identified in future gill net surveys. However, while fall electrofishing catch rates above 40/hour predict a good year class, significant year classes in gill net surveys were also identified in years with zero or low fall electrofishing catch rates. Overall, the presence of both young of the year and yearling Walleyes in the 2023 catch suggests successive year classes are present and should provide angling opportunities in the future. Low catch rates in Fish Trap Lake appear to be associated with the introduction of Zebra Mussels or the recent increased abundance of Wild Celery in shallow water areas throughout the lake. In local lakes that are fry stocked or have natural reproduction, young of the year Walleye are typically found on bare sand or gravel substrates. In recent years Fish Trap Lake has had very little shallow habitat with bare hard substrates since Wild Celery has become abundant. However, the sampling crews in 2022 and 2023 noted that Wild Celery abundance was less dense, and some barren substrate was present. Other species commonly observed during the survey included Bluegill, Bowfin, Common Shiner, Largemouth Bass, Pumpkinseed, White Sucker, and Yellow Perch. Other shiner species were also present.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Largemouth Bass, Muskellunge, Walleye, Northern Pike, and Black Crappie in Fish Trap. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Fish Trap. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Fish Trap has a maximum depth of 42 feet and a mean depth of 20.5 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Fish Trap is from 2024.

Yes — Fish Trap has confirmed zebra mussel. Clean, drain, and dry your equipment to avoid spreading invasives to other waters.