Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest September 19, 2025
Species recorded at Fish Trap Lake
18 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Fish Trap Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
2 public boat landings are recorded on Fish Trap Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 20, 2024 caught 4.75 walleye per gill net at Fish Trap Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fish Trap Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
26 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-19 (Targeted Survey).
26 surveys on file · most recent 2025-09-19 (Targeted Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 23.15 | 3–17 in 2024-05-20 | 0.88 lb |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 20.50 | ||
| Bluegill | 15.95 | 3–8 in 2024-05-20 | 0.15 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2025-09-19 survey
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…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Fish Trap Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Fish TrapFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Fish Trap (1916)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Fish TrapFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Fish TrapPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Fish Trap Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Targeted Survey on May 20, 2024 caught 4.75 walleye per gill net at Fish Trap Lake. Minnesota DNR lists 18 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Fish Trap Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Fish Trap Lake is dated September 19, 2025. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Fish Trap Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Fish Trap Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Fish Trap Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Fish Trap Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class: a lake with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Fish Trap Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Fish Trap Lake
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