Minnesota · St. Louis County
Elephant Lake Fishing guide
Elephant Lake is a 728-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota, reaching 30 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 9.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 22 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Fair numbers2.7per gill net20"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 27 fish
2024Lengths measured · 25 fish
2019Lengths measured · 31 fish
2014Lengths measured · 2 fish
2011Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Smallmouth bassOne of the best around44.2per hr (electrofishing)11"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 183 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 183 fish
2024Lengths measured · 19 fish
2019Lengths measured · 100 fish
2014Lengths measured · 136 fish
2011Northern pikeJust a few4.1per gill net24"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 39 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 39 fish
2024Lengths measured · 53 fish
2019Lengths measured · 30 fish
2014Lengths measured · 1 fish
2011Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
BluegillJust a few6.6per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 194 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 194 fish
2024Lengths measured · 573 fish
2019Lengths measured · 351 fish
2014Lengths measured · 9 fish
2011Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
CrappieJust a few0.7per trap net9"Typical13"Biggest
Lengths measured · 58 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 58 fish
2024Lengths measured · 55 fish
2019Lengths measured · 137 fish
2014Lengths measured · 37 fish
2011Yellow perchExcellent numbers25.9per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 361 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 361 fish
2024Lengths measured · 568 fish
2019Lengths measured · 776 fish
2014Lengths measured · 36 fish
2011Rates 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 Elephant 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.
- 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.
- 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 | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 18" | 30" | 33" |
| 2019 | 17" | 30" | 35" |
| 2014 | 18" | 29" | 31" |
| 2011 | 17" | 15" | 28" |
| 2010 | 17" | 21" | 34" |
| 2009 | 18" | 23" | 35" |
| 2008 | 18" | 23" | 34" |
| 2006 | 17" | 28" | 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:
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Ned Rig
2.75" finesse stickbait or craw-style Ned bait
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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 | 5,031 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 11,599 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Elephant Lake, was conducted on July 8-July 10, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment Program (LBMA) staff. Nearshore sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing and 1/8" mesh mini-fyke net were completed at 14 sampling stations. Additionally, a 50-foot seine was used to sample five stations and a 15-foot seine was used at eight stations. These seine stations were completed in non-standard locations to help with sampling efforts and ensure varied habitat types. Nearshore sampling captured 11 species of fish.
The nearshore data along with gill net and standard trap net data will be used to develop fish community models for Northeast Minnesota lakes, which will be used to measure lake health in this region. These models may function similarly to fish IBI models developed for lakes across much of the rest of the state. For additional information, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website. You can help protect the fish community in Elephant Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Elephant Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Elephant 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
- Elephant Lake (SE) (trailer launch)
- Elephant Lake (S) (carry-in)
DNR bathymetry
Elephant Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Silver Lake · 129 ac · 1.5 mi
- Black Duck Lake · 1,250 ac · 3.4 mi
- Chub Lake · 126 ac · 4.2 mi
- Bell Lake · 110 ac · 6.8 mi
- Clear Lake · 145 ac · 6.9 mi
- Marion Lake · 183 ac · 7.2 mi
- Long Lake · 478 ac · 7.8 mi
- Swan Lake · 86 ac · 7.9 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Elephant Lake?
Elephant Lake reaches 30 ft at its deepest point; about 45% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Elephant Lake?
Elephant Lake covers 728 acres with about 9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Elephant Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Elephant Lake average 9.2 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Elephant Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Elephant Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2024; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2022.
Does Elephant Lake have a public access?
Yes. Elephant Lake has 2 public access sites, including Elephant Lake (SE) (trailer launch).
How big do smallmouth bass get in Elephant Lake?
The biggest smallmouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 18"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2006.
When was Elephant Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Elephant Lake in 2025, the most recent of 22 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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