Fishing in Freeborn County, Minnesota
Seat: Albert Lea. Southern region.
- 10lakes
- 15accesses
- 3piers
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Freeborn County in numbers
County offices for Freeborn County are in Albert Lea; Explore Minnesota files it under the Southern region. Census figures give Freeborn County 707 square miles of land and 15.2 square miles under water.
There are 10 lake pages for the county (9,359 acres), topped by Albert Lea Lake. Boaters can use 15 public water accesses; 12 take trailers. 10 county lakes have DNR survey catch, and 4 produced walleye. The DNR lists 3 fishing piers and shore sites in the county.
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Minnesota DNR access and fishing site layers and LakeFinder, checked October 2026.
Freeborn County lake pages
| Lake | Acres | Max depth ft | Accesses | Walleye per gill net |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Albert Lea Lake | 2,669 | 5.5 | 3 | 16.67 |
| Freeborn Lake, Freeborn County | 2,034 | 6.7 | 1 | 0.11 |
| Geneva Lake, Freeborn County | 1,884 | 3.5 | 1 | |
| Bear Lake, Freeborn County | 1,033 | 6 | 1 | |
| Pickeral Lake, Freeborn County | 588 | 6 | 1 | |
| Fountain Lake, Freeborn County | 522 | 14 | 2 | 6.5 |
| State Line Lake | 372 | 2 | ||
| White Lake, Freeborn County | 168 | 4 | 0 | |
| School Section Lake, Freeborn County | 68 | 4.1 | 0 | |
| Morin Lake | 21 | 7 | 1 | 0.5 |
DNR LakeFinder morphology, access layer and latest survey per lake.
Other DNR-listed waters in Freeborn County
LakeFinder lists 3 further waters in Freeborn County; unnamed and thinly documented ones are kept to this list.
| Water | Acres | Max depth ft | DNR number | Accesses |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lower Twin Lake, Freeborn County | 2 | 24002700 | 1 | |
| Unnamed (Manchester) | 24004100 | 1 | ||
| Upper Twin Lake, Freeborn County | 24003100 | 1 |
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, checked October 2026.
Freeborn County streams
- Le Sueur Riverriver, 4 accesses
- Cobb Riverriver, 1 access
- Shell Rock Riverriver, 5 accesses
- Turtle Creekcreek, 1 access
- Orchard Creekcreek, 1 access
Freeborn County landings
- Albert Lea Lake, Frank Hall Park AccessAlbert Lea, 2 ramps, 24 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Albert Lea Lake, Myre Big Island SPK AccessAlbert Lea, 1 ramp, 8 trailer stalls, 1 dock, toilet
- Albert Lea Lake, St. Nicholas Landing AccessAlbert Lea, 1 ramp, 7 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Bear Lake Access near Twin LakesBear, 1 ramp, 8 trailer stalls
- Fountain Lake, Brookside Landing AccessFountain, 1 ramp, 30 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Fountain Lake, North Edgewater Bay AccessFountain, 1 ramp, 18 trailer stalls, 1 dock, toilet
- Freeborn Lake, Arrowhead Co Park AccessFreeborn, 1 ramp, 10 trailer stalls, toilet
- Geneva Lake AccessGeneva, 1 ramp, 6 trailer stalls, 1 dock
- Lower Twin Lake AccessLower Twin, 1 ramp, 4 trailer stalls
- Manchester WMA AccessUnnamed, carry-in access
- Morin Lake AccessMorin, 1 ramp, 1 dock
- Pickerel Lake Access near Albert LeaPickeral, 1 ramp, 5 trailer stalls, toilet
- State Line Lake (N) AccessState Line, 1 ramp, 6 trailer stalls
- State Line Lake (S) AccessState Line, 1 ramp, 5 trailer stalls
- Upper Twin Lake AccessUpper Twin, carry-in access, 8 trailer stalls
Fishing piers in Freeborn County (3)
- Albert Lea Lake Fishing Pierfishing pier, Albert Lea
- Albert Lea Lake Fishing Pier, Myre-Big Island State Parkfishing pier, Albert Lea
- Fountain Lake Fishing Pierfishing pier, Fountain
Minnesota DNR Public Water Access Sites and Public Fishing Sites.
Harvest rules in Freeborn County
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Walleye and sauger | 6 combined total (only 1 walleye over 20" in possession) | May 9, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Northern pike (Southern Zone) | 2 (minimum size 24") | May 9, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Northern pike (Southern Zone) | 2 (minimum size 24") | Nov. 15, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 except where prohibited |
| Largemouth bass | Catch-and-release only | March 1 – May 22, 2026 |
| Largemouth bass | 6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth bass (when smallmouth season is open) | May 23, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Smallmouth bass | Catch-and-release only | March 1 – May 22, 2026 |
| Smallmouth bass | 6 combined total largemouth or smallmouth bass | May 23 – Sept. 13, 2026 |
| Smallmouth bass | Catch-and-release only | Sept. 14, 2026 – Feb. 28, 2027 |
| Crappie | 10 combined total | Continuous |
| Sunfish | 20 combined total | Continuous |
| Yellow perch | 20 daily, 40 in possession | Continuous |
| Muskellunge | 1 (minimum size 54") | June 6 – Nov. 30, 2026 |
| Channel catfish | 5 (only 1 over 24") | Continuous |
| Rock bass | 30 | Continuous |
| Cisco (tullibee) | 15 (over 7") | Continuous |
| Burbot (eelpout) | 4 | Continuous |
Rows chosen for the Southern Zone, where Albert Lea lies.
2026 Minnesota Fishing Regulations; lake pages show any special regulation.
Minnows, tackle and guides in Freeborn County
Minnows for sale in Freeborn County
- The Dam Bait Shopbait and tackle shop, Albert Lea
Near Freeborn County on the map
Cities and towns in Freeborn County
- Albert Leapop. 18,492
- Clarks Grovepop. 694
- Aldenpop. 583
- Glenvillepop. 568
- Genevapop. 508
- Emmonspop. 367
- Hartlandpop. 321
- Hollandalepop. 308
- Freebornpop. 264
- Haywardpop. 252
- Congerpop. 153
- Twin Lakespop. 134
- Manchesterpop. 52
- Myrtlepop. 47
Counties surrounding Freeborn County
- Steele County24 miles north
- Waseca County27 miles northwest
- Mower County30 miles east
- Faribault County30 miles west
Fish to look for at Freeborn County
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Engbretson Eric, U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
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Photo: Engbretson, Eric / U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
Handy answers on Freeborn County
Which launches serve boaters in Freeborn County?
There are 15 public accesses: 12 take trailers.
What is the largest lake in Freeborn County?
Albert Lea Lake, 2,669 acres.
Can I fly fish for trout in Freeborn County?
None are designated here.
Which zone sets the pike limit in Freeborn County?
Going by where Albert Lea sits, the Southern Zone applies.
Where are minnows sold in Freeborn County?
Listings show 1 shop, such as The Dam Bait Shop.
Which guides work Freeborn County?
No listing for the county.
How many lakes in Freeborn County have walleye?
Yes: 10 lakes, walleye in 4.
Which city is the Freeborn County seat?
County government is in Albert Lea.
Do anglers in Freeborn County need a license?
Minnesota residents 16 to 89 need an angling license ($25 for the year); nonresidents 16 and older pay $51.
Find water in Freeborn County
Every spot opens to a page of DNR details.