Minnesota · Hubbard County
Little Mantrap Lake Fishing guide
Little Mantrap Lake sits in Hubbard County, Minnesota, and covers 381 acres, reaching 54 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 15 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.7per gill net16"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 26 fish
2022Lengths measured · 9 fish
2017Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 16 fish
2012Lengths measured · 15 fish
2007Largemouth bassFair numbers46.3per hr (electrofishing)14"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 89 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 89 fish
2022Lengths measured · 83 fish
2017Lengths measured · 82 fish
2012Lengths measured · 161 fish
2007Northern pikeFair numbers8.4per gill net17"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 80 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 80 fish
2022Lengths measured · 66 fish
2017Lengths measured · 87 fish
2012Lengths measured · 65 fish
2007BluegillJust a few18.1per trap net4"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 180 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 180 fish
2022Lengths measured · 243 fish
2017Lengths measured · 213 fish
2012Lengths measured · 243 fish
2007CrappieJust a few0.4per trap net9"Typical14"Biggest
Lengths measured · 165 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 165 fish
2022Lengths measured · 12 fish
2017Lengths measured · 13 fish
2012Lengths measured · 26 fish
2007Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Little Mantrap Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 15 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. On a lake that drops to 54 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 15 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 54 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 30" | 17" | 27" |
| 2017 | 24" | 17" | 30" |
| 2012 | 26" | 18" | 27" |
| 2007 | 28" | 19" | 31" |
| 2002 | 25" | 16" | 27" |
| 1997 | 25" | 13" | 34" |
| 1994 | 26" | 13" | 30" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2024 | Walleye | 851 fingerlings · 469 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 3,806 fingerlings · 778 yearlings · 9 adults |
| 2020 | Walleye | 740 adults |
| 2018 | Walleye | 2,052 fingerlings · 315 yearlings · 107 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 4,000 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
Little Mantrap Lake is located thirteen miles north of Park Rapids on the border of Becker and Hubbard County. Little Mantrap has a surface area of 381 acres and a maximum depth of 54 feet. A DNR owned public access is located on the south shore of the lake. Little Mantrap provides angling opportunities for Largemouth Bass, panfish, Walleye and Northern Pike.
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different types based on physical, chemical, and other characteristics. Little Mantrap is in class 25. Class 25 lakes are generally deep, very clear, have hard water, and are irregularly shaped. Other class 25 lakes in the Park Rapids management include: Bad Axe, Belle Taine, Big Mantrap, Dead, Eagle, Island, Little Sand, Spider, Straight, Third Crow Wing, Two Inlets, and West Crooked.
Read the full DNR narrative
Largemouth Bass were sampled in good numbers again in 2022, with fish averaging 12.5 inches. The longest Largemouth Bass sampled was 17.8 inches in length. Currently, there is a special regulation for bass on Little Mantrap which states all fish from 12 - 20 inches must be immediately released, and one over 20 inches allowed in possession.
Little Mantrap has an abundant sunfish population, including Bluegill, Pumpkinseed, Green Sunfish and their hybrids. Most fish sampled were too small for anglers, but there were some nicer fish ranging up to 8 inches in length. Little Mantrap supports a healthy Black Crappie population. Special spring sampling targeting Crappies took place in 2022, with most of the fish in the 9.5 - 11.5 inch range.
Walleye abundance was better than recent years in Little Mantrap, with one trophy fish sampled at 30 inches in length. Walleyes averaged 17.8 inches in length and were spread out evenly from 13 to 20 inches. Yellow Perch, an important forage species, were sampled in very low numbers and all were under 7 inches in length.
Northern Pike abundance was at the high end of recent surveys in Little Mantrap. Anglers will find most northern from 15 - 21 inches in length, a great opportunity to take advantage of the current Northern Pike regulation. Northern Pike sampled had an average length of 18.3 inches and weighed 1.3 pounds.
Currently, no Aquatic Invasive Species (AIS) have been identified in Little Mantrap Lake. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants or animals from their watercraft and drain all water from their boat before leaving the access.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Little Mantrap Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Little Mantrap Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Little Mantrap Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Little Mantrap Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Kane Lake · 32 ac · 1.5 mi
- Dinner Lake · 59 ac · 2.6 mi
- Cedar Lake · 103 ac · 3.4 mi
- Hungry Man Lake · 144 ac · 3.7 mi
- Coon Lake · 95 ac · 3.8 mi
- Beauty Lake · 55 ac · 3.8 mi
- Mary Lake · 56 ac · 4.8 mi
- Island Lake · 541 ac · 5.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Little Mantrap Lake?
Little Mantrap Lake reaches 54 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 14 ft; about 52% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Little Mantrap Lake?
Little Mantrap Lake covers 381 acres with about 9.2 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Little Mantrap Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Little Mantrap Lake average 15 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Little Mantrap Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Little Mantrap Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Little Mantrap Lake have a public access?
Yes. Little Mantrap Lake has one public access site: Little Mantrap Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Little Mantrap Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 30"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Little Mantrap Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Little Mantrap Lake in 2022, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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