Fish Trap - Lake Alexander - Staples

[catchin'whopper]

Hey everyone,
Was wondering if anyone has any information as far as the bass fishing on these two lakes recently. Basically going up to this area all next week and looking to have some direction as what to look for, on both lakes.

In the Brainerd forum, sounds like the bass fishing has been alright with lots of dinks and talk about weedlines on Fish Trap. I just got some general questions related to that though.

For both Fish Trap and Lake Alexander:
How deep are the weedlines? What baits typically work on this lake for bass. Is the water clear or "algaed" up? General areas to concentrate?

Hey, if you interested in providing some info over email too, that's appreciated. As I always do, will get back with a detailed report on my findings. Thanks in advance.

-Catchin' Whopper
email: kroc0005 AT yahoo.com

Thanks.

[catchin'whopper]

Excellent Ray, thanks for your advice, that will definitely get me in the right direction. Good population of smallies, huh? Sweet, those are always fun too. Lots of docks out on either lakes to hit too?

Thanks for your advice, will make sure i get back to you (and others on how the success goes).

-Catchin'Whopper

[Ray Esboldt]

Lots of docks, but they seem to give up the same fish as the weedline. I'd spend most of my time on the weedline. If you hit a school of 2.5 pounders, you're set.

Are you fishing a club tournament there or something? I would drive up to the Brainerd lakes and fish them as well if you're in the area for a week.

------------------
Ray Esboldt

Catch-N Tackle
MarCum
Stone Legacy

[catchin'whopper]

Yep, got a 4 boat club tourney on both lakes next weekend and happens to coincide with my first vacation in a few years. I will be staying at Cross Lake till thursday and will hit both Alexander and Fish Trap sometime during the week for prefishing, one day for each lake. I figured I could figure enough out in that time. FOr the other days I was looking to hit some other lakes around brainerd or Mille Lacs (smallies) on the other days. Those days are still to be determined, but anxious!

If you live or are in the area I can get back to you and let you know which days I will be on what lake. Email at kroc0005 AT yahoo DOT com.

Thanks for your help, much appreciated.

_Catchin' Whopper

[This message has been edited by catchin'whopper (edited 07-14-2004).]

[Ray Esboldt]

Both lakes are relatively clear. The weedline approaches 14 feet. They both have some rock areas, Alexander having quite a bit more. Alexander has a reasonable population of smallmouth, but I have also caught a couple on Fish Trap.

If you're going to fish weedlines, grab a jigworm. A bait like a Super-Do or a Kick-N Craw are ideal for a jigworm setup on these lakes. But, any worm will catch you some fish.

Alexander has some decent slop options, and I've caught my biggest fish of the two lakes in that.

------------------
Ray Esboldt

Catch-N Tackle
MarCum
Stone Legacy

[catchin'whopper]

Will be heading up to Fish Trap tomorrow morning and won't have computer access. My brother will though back home. I will be having him check this post out though. Will report back later in the week with how fishing is going out here and on Lake Alexander, hopefully I can find me some hawgs. Thanks for the tips/heads up already on what to expect, I really look forward to checking these two lakes out!

...Now for some rest and relaxtion!

Talk later.

-Catchin' Whoppper

[catchin'whopper]

I spent the past week in the Lincoln Lakes area, fished alex and fish trap twice. Brief report, since that's what i promised earlier...

Alexander:
On the rock humps, the smallmouth on them were small ones, chasing baitfish constantly. I fished the point extending about a half mile from the north shore on the western side of the lake (the one that should be marked with buoys) and doesnt show on all maps seemed to be most productive for me. This had fish on the inside cabbage edge that grew along it and drop shot with noodle worms, dark color seemed to work along with jig worms. As it flattened out with more rubble towards shore smallies were found hovering on it, senkos took them. For other humps and reed edges, it seemed that jig worms and tubes on the edges then worked for me, closest to cabbage stalks and edges where it was visible there was a sand or muck transition. These transitions were more visible during the day and calmer conditions. Docks were kinda slow and it was hit or miss. With our four boat tourney on there on saturday, it was docks that produced the largest fish though, and they were smallies. Senkos took those on the dock. Otherwise, most fish were largemouth and tough to get something larger than 14 inches. ISH. Great structure in this lake, just fantastic, but surprising that the smallies werent more readibly catchable. We tried fishing the deeper structures, 20-30 feet, with drop shots, carolina, jerk baits, and jig worms, but put out a few albeit, small smallmouth, some bonus walleyes, and some perch.

Fish Trap:
What a lake, i was really impressed with all the structure on this as well; islands, reeds, weedlines, docks, rocks, etc. Mindless recreational boaters aside, this was fun to fish and decipher. Fish were larger than Alexander and as numerous in the 12-14" size. I fished this Wednesday and we had our tourney today. Apparently there was a 25 boat tourney on this on Saturday, fishing was noticiably tougher today, maybe that had something to do with it. Pretty much I had success on weedlines on the eastern side with the large point, throwing jig worms in the day near the cabbage stalks and a sensational pop'r bite in the morning till 10:00 or so on that and other flats. Other guys in the club used the popper with good success as well. The slop in that lake yielded few fish, none being the larger kind. Not sure where the 4's and 5's hide on the lake, my largest for the week was just under 18 1/2". It seemed that the cabbage stalks definiteley held more fish than the "garbage weed" that would be found around it, a thin, 10" leafed veggie, that sprouts like a corn stalk almost. It seemed that smaller baits and slow poppers, that would be stopped got the hits though, and this was on most weedlines.

All and all a fun week off, the two lakes were fun to see and the only disappointment so to speak, was the lack of size and the recreational boat that ran over my marker bouy. Better catching fish than no fish, right?

Hope this helps, thanks for some of the help this past week, I understand that apparently bass tourney fisherman get a bad rap for cannibalizing on info on Fishing Minnesota without adding to it, but hope this frees up some of that stereotype. Good fishing.

-Catchin' Whopper