Minnesota · Clearwater County
Elk Lake Fishing guide
Elk Lake sits in Clearwater County, Minnesota, and covers 303 acres, reaching 93 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 10.6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2024Good numbers4.7per gill net15"Typical25"Biggest
Lengths measured · 33 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 33 fish
2025Lengths measured · 24 fish
2019Lengths measured · 17 fish
2013Lengths measured · 31 fish
2008Largemouth bassGood numbers50.7per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical17"Biggest
Lengths measured · 173 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 173 fish
2025Lengths measured · 3 fish
2019Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2013Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 31 fish
2008Northern pikeFair numbers8per gill net24"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 53 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 53 fish
2025Lengths measured · 64 fish
2019Lengths measured · 56 fish
2013Lengths measured · 341 fish
2008Present and managed by the DNR.
BluegillJust a few22.4per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 218 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 218 fish
2025Lengths measured · 265 fish
2019Lengths measured · 173 fish
2013Lengths measured · 217 fish
2008CrappieJust a few0.7per trap net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 22 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 22 fish
2025Lengths measured · 1 fish
2019Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchElite fishery69.5per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 382 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 382 fish
2025Lengths measured · 107 fish
2019Lengths measured · 195 fish
2013Lengths measured · 291 fish
2008Rock bassOne of the best around7.7per gill net7"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 59 fish
Recent · 2025Lengths measured · 59 fish
2025Lengths measured · 34 fish
2019Lengths measured · 21 fish
2013Lengths measured · 24 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 Elk Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 10.6 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 93 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 10.6 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 93 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25" | 17" | 35" |
| 2019 | 26" | 16" | 36" |
| 2013 | 25" | 5" | 34" |
| 2008 | 26" | 14" | 37" |
| 2000 | 27" | 12" | 27" |
| 1995 | 26" | 4" | 35" |
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Muskellunge | 152 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Muskellunge | 150 fingerlings · 2 yearlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 500 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Muskellunge | 152 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Muskellunge | 152 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 2,182 fingerlings · 203 yearlings · 12 adults |
| 2021 | Muskellunge | 152 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 1,825 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Muskellunge | 152 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Muskellunge | 135 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 1,314 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Muskellunge | 151 fingerlings |
Stocking records before 2017 omitted.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Elk Lake is a 303-acre lake, located within Itasca State Park about 30 miles southwest of Bemidji, MN. A targeted survey was completed on Elk Lake by Bemidji Area Fisheries staff during July of 2025 to assess the nearshore fish community and overall health of the lake.
In this survey, 10 nearshore sites (100-foot) were evenly spaced along the lakeshore to sample a variety of aquatic habitat types and collect a representative sample of the nearshore fish community. Depending on the habitat conditions at each site, backpack electrofishing and shoreline seining were attempted where possible. Shoreline seining and backpack electrofishing were completed at all 10 sites. A total of 21 species of fish were sampled, which included six species (Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, and Rock Bass) that are intolerant to disturbance and poor water quality.
Read the full DNR narrative
Nearshore fish community data was analyzed with information collected from the standard survey completed in 2025 to calculate a Fish-based Index of Biologic Integrity (FIBI) score to measure the biological condition and overall health of Elk Lake. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and healthy habitat (e.g. Blackchin Shiner, Tullibee (cisco), Least Darter, Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g. Black Bullhead, Fathead Minnow, Green Sunfish). The combination of fish species present may identify stressors negatively affecting the lake environment. The FIBI score is composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics to indicate the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources website (www.mndnr.gov).
Results of this survey indicate Elk Lake is in exceptional health with a FIBI score well above the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. In coordination with the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency, data from this survey will contribute towards the assessment of the Mississippi River (Headwaters) Watershed with biological information about the health of the fish community.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Elk Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Elk 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
- Elk Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Elk Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Itasca Lake · 1,065 ac · 1.9 mi
- Mary Lake · 56 ac · 2.3 mi
- Ozawindib Lake · 159 ac · 3.8 mi
- Beauty Lake · 55 ac · 4.7 mi
- Little Mantrap Lake · 381 ac · 5.4 mi
- Kane Lake · 32 ac · 6.3 mi
- Heart Lake · 225 ac · 6.4 mi
- Alice Lake · 127 ac · 6.8 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Elk Lake?
Elk Lake reaches 93 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 32 ft; about 24% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Elk Lake?
Elk Lake covers 303 acres with about 3.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Elk Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Elk Lake average 10.6 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Elk Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Elk Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked muskellunge in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Elk Lake have a public access?
Yes. Elk Lake has one public access site: Elk Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Elk Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 25"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Elk Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Elk Lake in 2025, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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