Minnesota · Becker County
Elbow Lake Fishing guide
Elbow Lake sits in Becker County, Minnesota, and covers 995 acres, reaching 76 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 17 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.8per gill net15"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 70 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 34 fish
2024Lengths measured · 36 fish
2021Lengths measured · 22 fish
2018Lengths measured · 32 fish
2015Largemouth bassJust a few17.6per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical16"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 8 fish
2024Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2021Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 4 fish
2018Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2015Northern pikeFair numbers8.7per gill net21"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 158 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 71 fish
2024Lengths measured · 87 fish
2021Lengths measured · 99 fish
2018Lengths measured · 67 fish
2015Last recorded in the 2018 survey and not seen since.
BluegillJust a few24.5per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 357 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 310 fish
2024Lengths measured · 47 fish
2021Lengths measured · 459 fish
2018Lengths measured · 672 fish
2015CrappieJust a few0.1per trap net9"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 4 fish
2024Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2021Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 29 fish
2018Lengths measured · 66 fish
2015Yellow perchGood numbers9.3per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 171 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 55 fish
2024Lengths measured · 116 fish
2021Lengths measured · 221 fish
2018Lengths measured · 67 fish
2015Rock bassExcellent numbers1.3per seine haul7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 60 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 31 fish
2024Lengths measured · 29 fish
2021Lengths measured · 42 fish
2018Lengths measured · 35 fish
2015Rates 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 Elbow Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11 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 76 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 11 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 76 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
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 | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 24" | 33" | 16" |
| 2021 | 30" | 35" | 15" |
| 2018 | 28" | 35" | 20" |
| 2015 | 27" | 37" | 17" |
| 2012 | 24" | 32" | 19" |
| 2009 | 28" | 33" | 20" |
| 2006 | 27" | 34" | 16" |
| 2003 | 25" | 31" | 16" |
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
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
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Wacky-Rigged Stickworm
5" stickworm
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 323,750 fry · 7,000 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 475,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 425,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 413,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 200,000 fry |
| 2020 | Walleye | 160,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 200,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 200,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 200,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Elbow Lake was conducted August 22nd - 23rd, 2024, by Detroit Lakes Fisheries Staff. Data was collected from 14 sampling stations evenly spaced around the lake. All stations were sampled with a backpack electrofishing unit, 3 were sampled with a 50-foot seine and 3 stations were sampled with a 15-foot seine. Eight stations were not sampled with a seine because of dense vegetation, water being too deep or muck being too thick to effectively use a seine. Nearshore sampling captured 21 species of native fish, which included eight species that are intolerant of disturbance (Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Mimic Shiner, Least Darter, Iowa Darter, Rock Bass, and Mottled Sculpin) and two species that is tolerant of disturbance (Black Bullhead and Green Sunfish). The three most common species captured during the nearshore survey in order of abundance were: Bluegill, Bluntnose Minnow, and Yellow Perch.
The nearshore fish survey data was combined with the standard survey data from July 2024 to describe the fish community and provide a Fish-based Index of Biotic Integrity (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to a watershed assessment process in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. Elbow Lake is located in the Otter Tail River Watershed.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Elbow Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Elbow 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
- Elbow Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Elbow Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Little Bemidji Lake · 293 ac · 2.7 mi
- Tulaby Lake · 832 ac · 3.3 mi
- Many Point Lake · 1,701 ac · 3.6 mi
- Juggler Lake · 429 ac · 4.2 mi
- Pickerel Lake · 143 ac · 4.4 mi
- Round Lake · 1,094 ac · 6.5 mi
- Bass Lake · 735 ac · 6.9 mi
- Bad Medicine Lake · 803 ac · 7.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Elbow Lake?
Elbow Lake reaches 76 ft at its deepest point; about 20% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Elbow Lake?
Elbow Lake covers 995 acres with about 13.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Elbow Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Elbow Lake average 11 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Elbow Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Elbow Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Elbow Lake have a public access?
Yes. Elbow Lake has one public access site: Elbow Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Elbow 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 2003.
When was Elbow Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Elbow Lake in 2024, the most recent of 17 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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