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Posts: 12
| Well it sounds like I'm officially heading to Minnesota for my 1st Musky experience up north. From Iowa but haven't made it up yet. Either way my dad and I decided on Mantrap since it has so many available lakes around it for our 4 day trip August 25th thru the 28th.
If anyone has any advice on Mantrap or have recommendations for lakes near Mantrap if it is slow it would be greatly appreciated. Don't need specifics of course just a steer in the right direction would be great.
I fish 3 or 4 of the lakes in Iowa that have musky and would be more then happy to share any information I have in return if anyone ever decided to venture down this way before your opener.
Thanks in advance guys,
Matt |
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Posts: 98
| None of the lakes immediately surrounding Mantrap have muskies in them. So if you wanted a different lake, I think Leech is the next closest.
That shouldn't be a problem though, because Mantrap is a good lake. It's very clear though, so you might need to pick prime hours when it's bright/sunny. I've only fished it in August once, and had success fishing cranks in the weeds in 10-15 ft of water. I have had success fishing most lure types here though, so get on a weedline and start chucking. |
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Posts: 135
| Bemidji to the north...Detroit Lakes to the west...Leech to the east...none of them are close but not too far either. Make sure you get breakfast at the Emmaville store while you're there.
Mantrap makes you work hard, try fishing topwater shallow early in the morning if it's getting into the 50s at night.
August is a great time to fish Leech: rock reefs and reeds, small baits burned fast.
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Posts: 1767
Location: Lake Country, Wisconsin | There's a small lake to the NW over in the state forest that was once good for Muskies, no idea if it still is or not.
I was out on Mantrap a few times...did ok at dusk, but not a lake I would want to be fishing during the day. Very healthy fishery though with all kinds of different species around you
Edited by Musky Brian 4/1/2016 8:44 AM
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Posts: 108
| Try 6" phantoms in crappie or walleye patterns on Mantrap....also #8 black nickel bucktails and WTD topwaters work well. I always like to have a brown/orange tail bulldawg on a rod too!
Elk Lake in Itasca State Park is not too far from Mantrap. You can fish that lake easy in about 4-5 hours and there are some very nice fish in there.
Mantrap is a beautiful lake! Lots of spots that hold muskies...find cabbage and you will find the muskies. A lot of times I don't even get down to the big part of the lake...just stay in the narrow western basins. Water can be really clear so low light conditions are good.
Good Luck! |
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Posts: 921
| I've spend a lot of time on Mantrap. You can fish that for 4 days without issue. No need to go to any other lakes. Nothing else is real close.
The water is clear, but I've seen and caught plenty of fish in the middle of the afternoon in bright sun. So don't let that scare you. Find cabbage and you will find muskies. I've never had the time to do it, but I believe you could fish your way around the whole shoreline and find just as many fish as you would concentrating on mid-lake structure.
My largest out of there is 49". Skinny, but long, so there's big fish in there.
Midge |
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Posts: 633
| I spend a week up there every year as a family vacation. Fish are all around, and you will see them. Now getting them to go is a little tricky, as they seem to be a bit boat shy from time to time. My largest is 47", with some in the low 40's. I have seen people catch +50's, but they seem not to follow my lures. Get the Minnesota muskie map book, and you can work many of the published spots, and find fish. |
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Posts: 12
| You guys are freaking awesome! Thanks for all the info. The main lake I fish down here in iowa is crystal clear up to about 10 feet til around late july and we have quite a bit of luck. Hopefully have a few tricks up my sleeve with the success I have down here on the clear water.
If any of you plan on making your way to iowa before your openers hit me up. I mainly fish Clear Lake and Brushy and I would be more then happy to share any info I have with any of you guys that helped me out.
Thanks again and tight lines my friends!!!! |
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Posts: 69
Location: Phoenixville, PA | Make sure you have a good map. They don't call it Mantrap for nothing. It is a beautiful lake and has some big pike as well. Definitely hit Emmaville.
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Posts: 12
| PM Sent |
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Posts: 2014
| fishdawg - 4/6/2016 7:53 PM
Make sure you have a good map. They don't call it Mantrap for nothing. It is a beautiful lake and has some big pike as well. Definitely hit Emmaville.
??? The lake is little fishes very easy - I spent 5 days there in 2011 with the family - that was enough to figure it out pretty well .. Put the family on the crappies, nice crappies 11-14".. I slipped out in the early AM and evenings to throw the "big stuff" put 7 in the bag up to 53" and had her twin get off in the 8 the next eve. Easy lake to fish IMO. Funny enough I've never been back  |
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Posts: 20
Location: Park Rapids, MN | I fish Mantrap a lot as I live in guide in the Park Rapids area. Trap is a clear lake with fish that can be boat shy at times. Low light conditions are best when the bite is like this. I have however caught some very nice fish in the middle of the day in less than ideal "musky" conditions. I would echo what most have said here. Find cabbage and you will find fish. Night fishing on Trap can be outstanding. Some of the biggest fish I have caught have been at or after dark. Bucktails and topwater are very effective after sundown. Elk is fun to fish and a nice lake. Bemidji and Leech are also fantastic fisheries. Good luck! |
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Posts: 548
Location: MN | Don't tell him night fishing... that's when I go. lol
We have a cabin 20 min away on a lake with no ski.
I get to Mantrap over 20 times a year.
Baldy said it all.
No one mentioned there is a a lot fishing pressure on the Trap.... there is.
I like night fishing that lake especially in August.
You'll have a blast no matter what.
Good luck and have fun.
Nick |
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Posts: 665
Location: Twin Cities, MN | Careful of the boat ramp, it is a shallow one with a few rocks also ...
Pal
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Posts: 1901
Location: MN | Pal - 4/12/2016 12:09 PM
Careful of the boat ramp, it is a shallow one with a few rocks also ...
Pal
It's actually a good ramp but as Pal noted, the dang powerloaders have rooted out such a hole and deposited it all behind where your motor is as you approach that it is much shallower than it otherwise would be. |
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Posts: 548
Location: MN | Good thing is it's crystal clear so you can see what's on the bottom. |
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Posts: 921
| I actually learned a very valuable lesson on Mantrap a few years ago. Bright sunny and calm day I had on 2 different occasions lazer follows with their beak right on the bucktail. They got within 5 feet of the boat and darted away. As far as I was concerned those fish were 50 yards away after the dart.
Well no. They were actually just repositioning and were only like 5 feet from the bait. Several figure 8's and both of them came back up and ate. I was shocked. I had never had luck with darters before but it's also because I had probably given up and didn't figure 8 well because they darted.
I am not a firm believer in doing several figure 8's even if you think the fish darted off to the next county.
You would never see that activity that I saw unless the lake was crystal clear and calm. Lesson learned. |
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Mantrap and Surrounding Lakes