Minnesota · St. Louis County
Elbow Lake Fishing guide
Elbow Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 1,695 acres, reaching 60 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 6.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.6per gill net13"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 31 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 31 fish
2023Lengths measured · 29 fish
2018Lengths measured · 35 fish
2013Lengths measured · 48 fish
2008Largemouth bassJust a few9.3per hr (electrofishing)6"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 18 fish
2023Lengths measured · 1 fish
2018Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
2013Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2008Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Smallmouth bassGood numbers29.1per hr (electrofishing)8"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 65 fish
2023Lengths measured · 1 fish
2018Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 6 fish
2013Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 169 fish
2008Northern pikeJust a few0.9per gill net22"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 16 fish
2023Lengths measured · 11 fish
2018Lengths measured · 10 fish
2013Lengths measured · 15 fish
2008BluegillJust a few8.2per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 99 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 99 fish
2023Lengths measured · 75 fish
2018Lengths measured · 105 fish
2013Lengths measured · 145 fish
2008CrappieJust a few2.4per trap net6"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 29 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 29 fish
2023Lengths measured · 11 fish
2018Lengths measured · 8 fish
2013Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 13 fish
2008Yellow perchFair numbers2.1per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 25 fish
2023Lengths measured · 17 fish
2018Lengths measured · 14 fish
2013Lengths measured · 40 fish
2008Rates 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
Smallmouth bass
- Spring
- Smallmouth are on shallow rock, gravel and sand where they spawn.
- Early summer
- Smallmouth are post-spawn on rock points, gravel bars and the adjacent breaks.
- Summer
- Smallmouth are on rock humps, points and hard-bottom breaks. On a lake that drops to 60 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Smallmouth are bunched tight on deep rock, so find one and you have found the school.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds.
- 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 60 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.
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 | Smallmouth bass | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 15" | 27" | 13" |
| 2018 | 13" | 24" | 7" |
| 2013 | 12" | 19" | 6" |
| 2008 | 15" | 28" | 15" |
| 2003 | 16" | 25" | 7" |
| 1998 | 12" | 28" | 7" |
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:
Smallmouth bass · Hardbaits
Walk-the-Dog Topwater
4–4.5" walk-the-dog topwater
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
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 | 7,224 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 14,320 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 5,060 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 23,037 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 9,628 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 19,920 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 15,102 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 18,026 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Elbow Lake on August 20th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Whitefish, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake (Cisco, also known as 'Tullibee', are also present). During the summer, Lake Whitefish require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 17.2 degrees C (63.0 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on the profile from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth 49.2 feet), the water temperature decreased below 17.2 degrees C (63.0 degrees F) at 19.4 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 35.0 feet at the time of sampling. The thickness of this layer of water in the water column was 15.6 feet, indicating that oxythermal habitat was present for Lake Whitefish.
Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 10.5 degrees C (50.9 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 17.2 degrees C (63.0 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were suitable for Lake Whitefish at the time of the survey.
Read the full DNR narrative
Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 4 years, between 2008-2023, also indicate suitable oxythermal habitat in all years surveyed. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Lake Whitefish are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.
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 (N) (trailer launch)
- Elbow Lake (S) (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Elbow Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Susan Lake · 276 ac · 2 mi
- Ban Lake · 389 ac · 2.2 mi
- Winchester Lake · 319 ac · 4.3 mi
- Myrtle Lake · 876 ac · 4.9 mi
- Kjostad Lake · 437 ac · 7.1 mi
- Clear Lake · 145 ac · 7.4 mi
- Bell Lake · 110 ac · 7.9 mi
- Moose Lake · 929 ac · 8.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Elbow Lake?
Elbow Lake reaches 60 ft at its deepest point; about 39% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Elbow Lake?
Elbow Lake covers 1,695 acres with about 27.8 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Elbow Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Elbow Lake average 6.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Elbow Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, 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 2016.
Does Elbow Lake have a public access?
Yes. Elbow Lake has 2 public access sites, including Elbow Lake (N) (trailer launch).
How big do smallmouth bass get in Elbow Lake?
The biggest smallmouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 15"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1998.
When was Elbow Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Elbow Lake in 2025, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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