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Recent public catches load as you reach this section.
2,682-acre lake near Freeborn County. The lake tops out around 4 ft. The depth chart comes from Minnesota Department of Natural Resources bathymetric survey data, so the contours are survey-derived rather than computer-modeled. The depth data here comes from a DNR lake survey. What the data behind the map says about each species, season by season:
On the chart, Albert Lea draws 2,682 acres inside 23.7 miles of shoreline. The 3.3 development index tells the story — a convoluted bank whose fishable edge far outruns the acreage. The whole water is littoral — nothing here runs deeper than ~15 ft, so it's all weed-and-bait territory. The basin spans about 4.6 mi end to end and 3.4 mi across at its widest. The water lies in Freeborn County. Closest neighbour on DepthScout: Fountain (East Bay), 2 mi northwest of here.
Early season walleye use the shallows, holding in 1 to 4 ft. Even in summer they hold at 1 to 4 ft; winter keeps them in 1 to 4 ft. The chart's best answer is Break off the point — drop-off, 4 ft, prime for fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. Tie on a crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (1 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (4 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (4 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Spring yellow perch on Albert Lea hold shallow, usually 1 to 4 ft. Depth-wise the year is flat: 1 to 4 ft in summer, 1 to 4 ft once it turns cold. The chart's best answer is Shallow bay flat — weed flat, 1 ft, prime for spring. Prime time lands in early morning. The summer box starts with a drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 12 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (4 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Spring puts northern pike in skinny water — 1 to 4 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 1 to 4 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 4 ft. Spring northern pike concentrate at Shallow bay flat, a prime-rated weed flat around 1 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Spring puts crappie in skinny water — 1 to 4 ft is the zone. Summer fish stay in 1 to 4 ft, and winter fish hold in 1 to 4 ft. Winter crappie concentrate at Deep basin, a prime-rated deep basin around 4 ft. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. A jig trolled/spider-rigged or a small crankbait (trolled) covers the summer program.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/16 oz jig + tube, Curly-tail grub |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Jig trolled/spider-rigged, Small crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 20 ft | dawn | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Jig + minnow combo, Small swimbait (1.5-2") |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 15 to 35 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Tungsten jig + soft plastic, Tiny jigging spoon |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: bluegill in 1 to 4 ft. The depth story barely changes: 1 to 4 ft through summer, 1 to 4 ft in winter. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 1 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a small sponge spider (fly) or a micro tube jig gets it done.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 1 to 6 ft | midday & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | 1/32 oz jig + micro plastic, Tiny popper (evenings) |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 4 to 15 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Small sponge spider (fly), Micro tube jig |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 6 to 18 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | Micro jig + waxworm, Small spoon tipped |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 25 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) | Tungsten ice jig + plastic, Tiny spoon |
In spring, channel catfish run shallow here, mostly 1 to 4 ft. Summer keeps them at 1 to 4 ft, and they winter in 1 to 4 ft. Deep basin is the standout, a deep basin at roughly 4 ft, rated prime for winter channel catfish. Time it for after dark and the evening.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 3 to 12 ft | dusk | Shallow bay flat (1 ft) | |
| Summer | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 8 to 25 ft | night & dusk | Deep basin (4 ft) | |
| Fall | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 10 to 30 ft | dusk | Deep basin (4 ft) | |
| Winter | 1 to 4 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 40 ft | midday | Deep basin (4 ft) |
Albert Lea also holds common carp (1 to 4 ft in summer), brown bullhead (1 to 4 ft in summer), largemouth bass (1 to 4 ft in summer), black bullhead (1 to 4 ft in summer), green sunfish (1 to 4 ft in summer), yellow bullhead (1 to 4 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
12 pieces of structure are mapped here — Deep basin, around 4 ft, is the deepest of them.
Access data: MN DNR Water Access Sites (struc_water_access_sites), Minnesota Geospatial Commons. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
| Date | Species | Count | Size |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025* | Walleye (fry) | 2,654,000 | — |
* Approximate date (agency reports month or season only). Source: Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports, retrieved 2026-09-23.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Albert Lea specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Albert Lea is about 4 ft (1 m) deep at its deepest point. The depth data here comes from a DNR lake survey.
Anglers target walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, crappie, bluegill, channel catfish, common carp, brown bullhead, largemouth bass, black bullhead, green sunfish, yellow bullhead on Albert Lea.
Break off the point is the top-rated area: a drop-off in about 4 ft of water that rates prime for walleye in fall. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For walleye, the summer bite is best in the evening and early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Yes — per Minnesota DNR LakeFinder stocking reports records, Albert Lea was most recently stocked 2025 with 2,654,000 walleye (fry). The full stocking history is listed above.
Fishing on Albert Lea is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Fountain (East Bay) 2 mi · Pickeral 3 mi · Fountain (West Bay) 3 mi · White 4 mi · School Section 5 mi · Bear 10 mi · Silver Lake (Worth) 11 mi, IA · Geneva 11 mi · Morin 12 mi · Freeborn 14 mi · Beaver 18 mi · Rice Lake 19 mi, IA
See how Albert Lea stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota · best crappie lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: Freeborn County fishing maps (10 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. Bathymetry: published agency survey data. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.