Minnesota · Todd County
Trace Lake Fishing guide
Trace Lake is a 253-acre lake in Todd County, Minnesota, reaching 6 ft at its deepest point. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 2 times, most recently in 1986, with northern pike in the nets. That survey is 40 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
The DNR last surveyed Trace Lake in 1986. Ratings need a survey from the last 20 years, so this page lists the species from that older record without numbers.
- Northern pike
How to fish northern pike on Trace Lake through the year
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 6-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Buzzbait
3/8–1/2 oz buzzbait with a clacker blade and skirted single hook
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 1986 survey
survey results from 1981 showed high numbers of small northern pike and bowfin. Other species present were hybrid sunfish and black bullhead. The 1986 netting was preceeded by a severe winter- kill. As a result, data comparison was not practical. Species captured in low numbers includ- ed: carp, fathead minnow, white sucker, black bullhead, yellow bullhead, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish and pumpkinseed. Green sunfish catches were well above average.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Trace Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Trace 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
- Trace Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Trace Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Twin Lake · 121 ac · 1.1 mi
- Bass Lake · 94 ac · 1.2 mi
- Lady Lake · 177 ac · 1.5 mi
- Hennessy Lake · 52 ac · 2.3 mi
- Fuller Lake · 52 ac · 2.4 mi
- Big Birch Lake · 2,107 ac · 3.5 mi
- Mound Lake · 270 ac · 3.6 mi
- Buck Lake · 61 ac · 3.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Trace Lake?
Trace Lake reaches 6 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Trace Lake?
Trace Lake covers 253 acres with about 2.8 miles of shoreline.
What fish are in Trace Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 1986) record northern pike.
Is Trace Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Trace Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Trace Lake have a public access?
Yes. Trace Lake has one public access site: Trace Lake (trailer launch).
When was Trace Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Trace Lake in 1986, the most recent of 2 surveys on record. That is more than 20 years ago, so this page lists species without ratings.
Page updated .
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