Albert Lea Lake

Has anybody fished Albert Lea Lake? If so, is it worth a 2 hour drive to fish it?

Thanks,
Mike

I live in Albert Lea. It’s a big body of water but it’s not worth a 2 hour drive. It froze out a few years ago and hasn’t quite recovered since.

The lake is a boom and bust fishery. You will get a year of really good fishing followed by 2-4 bad years. I know after the last winter kill the DNR stocked walleye fry and they have grown fast. There is an abundance of keepers in the system right now. The local fishermen were catching them pretty good in the channel during the high water end of September. I wouldn’t hesitate to try it, if you strike out on Albert Lea you can hop on Fountain and get into the panfish pretty easy. The perch fishing on Pickerel and Geneva should also be good this year.

I used to fish it pretty extensively on the good years. Like stated earlier, it is extremely hit or miss. When it’s good, it’s very good however! Have not fished it since the freeze out. This year might be the year to try again. Don’t get discouraged on it also, keep moving. In my experience, it isn’t a sit and wait kind of lake.