Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Elbow Lake Fishing guide
Elbow Lake sits in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, and covers 188 acres, reaching 46 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 16.4 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 6 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.7per gill net19"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 16 fish
2023Lengths measured · 18 fish
2017Lengths measured · 19 fish
2005Lengths measured · 21 fish
2000Largemouth bassPresent3.2per gill net14"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 19 fish
2023Lengths measured · 70 fish
2017Lengths measured · 146 fish
2005Lengths measured · 5 fish
2000Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few4.3per gill net25"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 26 fish
2023Lengths measured · 36 fish
2017Lengths measured · 20 fish
2005Lengths measured · 31 fish
2000No recent survey rating.
Rates 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 16.4 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 46 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 16.4 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 46 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 23" | 17" | 37" |
| 2017 | 20" | 19" | 36" |
| 2005 | 28" | 16" | 31" |
| 2000 | 26" | 16" | 33" |
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 | 80,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 1,680 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 328 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 585 fingerlings · 100 yearlings · 17 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 542 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Elbow (Bass) Lake is a 189-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in central Otter Tail County approximately two miles west of Battle Lake, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth of Bass Lake is 46 feet; however, 42% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. The secchi disk reading during the 2023 survey was 14.7 feet. Previous secchi disk readings have ranged from 15.0 to 24.0 feet.
Moderate shoreline development exists around the lake. Homes and cottages compose the majority of the development. A DNR owned concrete public access is located on the northwest shoreline. Main lake shoreline substrates consist primarily of sand and gravel. The substrate in the north bay is predominantly muck. Common cattail and hardstem bulrush are prevalent in the bay; however, emergent vegetation is limited throughout the remainder of the lake. Emergent plants are important because they provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines from erosion and can even absorb and breakdown pollutants from the water. Emergent plants provide spawning areas for fish species such as Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass and panfish. They also are important nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological importance, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit.
Read the full DNR narrative
A special gillnetting survey was conducted to analyze the Walleye and Northern Pike populations.
Northern Pike abundance has historically remained at a moderate level. Age data from this survey and previous surveys indicate that Northern Pike reproduction is consistently good at a low to moderate level. Pike ranged in length from 20.4 to 37.0 inches with an average length and weight of 25.8 inches and 3.7 pounds. Pike attain an average length of 25.6 inches at five years of age.
Walleye abundance remains low. Walleyes ranged in length from 16.3 to 23.9 inches with a mean length of 19.5 inches and 2.5 pounds. Walleyes attain an average length of 15.8 inches at four years of age.
Previous special surveys have indicated that the Largemouth Bass and Black Crappie populations have been historically abundant with excellent size structures, consistently good reproduction, and above-average growth.
Anglers can maintain the quality of angling by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large-size fish while allowing the harvest of more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future.
Elbow Lake is not listed as an infested water. Aquatic invasive species are threatening Minnesota waters. Aquatic invasive species can potentially harm water quality, water recreation, aquatic habitat, native species, and fish populations. Anglers can help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species by following watercraft transportation laws.
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, Bass Elbow (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Elbow Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- First Silver Lake · 529 ac · 1.3 mi
- South Turtle Lake · 837 ac · 2.2 mi
- North Turtle Lake · 1,773 ac · 2.9 mi
- Fiske Lake · 254 ac · 3.2 mi
- Molly Stark Lake · 152 ac · 4.1 mi
- Deer Lake · 447 ac · 4.5 mi
- Annie Battle Lake · 354 ac · 4.7 mi
- East Lost Lake · 483 ac · 4.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Elbow Lake?
Elbow Lake reaches 46 ft at its deepest point; about 42% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Elbow Lake?
Elbow Lake covers 188 acres with about 3.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Elbow Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Elbow Lake average 16.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Elbow Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Elbow Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Elbow Lake have a public access?
Yes. Elbow Lake has one public access site: Elbow Lake, Bass Elbow (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Elbow Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 23"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2000.
When was Elbow Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Elbow Lake in 2023, the most recent of 6 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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