Minnesota · St. Louis County
Elliot Lake Fishing guide
Elliot Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 373 acres, reaching 13 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 7.8 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 6 times, most recently in 2018, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 8 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Largemouth bassJust a few17.1per hr (electrofishing)13"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 49 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018Lengths measured · 21 fish
2018Lengths measured · 28 fish
2011Lengths measured · 18 fish
2003Lengths measured · 11 fish
1998Northern pikeFair numbers7.3per gill net19"Typical40"Biggest
Lengths measured · 160 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018Lengths measured · 62 fish
2018Lengths measured · 98 fish
2011Lengths measured · 101 fish
2003Lengths measured · 79 fish
1998BluegillJust a few9.5per trap net5"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 296 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018Lengths measured · 182 fish
2018Lengths measured · 114 fish
2011Lengths measured · 148 fish
2003Lengths measured · 220 fish
1998CrappieJust a few2.1per trap net7"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 96 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018Lengths measured · 51 fish
2018Lengths measured · 45 fish
2011Lengths measured · 10 fish
2003Lengths measured · 17 fish
1998Yellow perchFair numbers2.6per gill net2"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 108 fish
Recent · 2011 + 2018Lengths measured · 43 fish
2018Lengths measured · 65 fish
2011Lengths measured · 47 fish
2003Lengths measured · 33 fish
1998No 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 Elliot Lake through the year
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth.
- 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. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops. A 13-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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. With 100% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 13-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 32" | — | 18" |
| 2011 | 40" | 24" | 17" |
| 2003 | 36" | 23" | 16" |
| 1998 | 39" | 22" | 16" |
| 1993 | 39" | 17" | 17" |
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:
Northern pike · Hardbaits
Weedless Spoon + Trailer (Silver Minnow)
3/8–1/2 oz weedless spoon
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
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
Tokyo Rig
Creature bait or craw Texas-rigged on the rig's hook
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2018 survey
Elliot is a 373-acre lake with 100% littoral area and a maximum depth of 13 feet. The lake is located near Central Lakes, MN and has a state owned, back in access on the west side of the lake. Elliot was last surveyed in 2011. Elliot was surveyed during the summer of 2018 to update information about fish populations.
A total of 17 Largemouth Bass were sampled by electrofishing. The Largemouth Bass catch rate was 13.3 fish per hour, which was average compared to other Duluth Area lakes. Average length of sampled Largemouth Bass was 14.4 inches, but larger fish were sampled and should provide quality angling opportunities.
Northern Pike abundance of 5.6 per gillnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Average length was small at 19.1 inches, but fish over 30 inches were captured.
Bluegill population densities were above average compared to other similar Minnesota lakes, while Black Crappie population densities were average. Black Crappie average length was 8.3 inches, while Bluegill average length was 6.2 inches. Several strong year-classes of Bluegill were present, suggesting good Bluegill fishing should be expected in the future.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Elliot Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Elliot 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
- Elliot Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Elliot Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Murphy Lake · 354 ac · 2.6 mi
- Stone Lake · 143 ac · 5.4 mi
- Half Moon Lake · 162 ac · 5.7 mi
- Long Lake · 374 ac · 5.7 mi
- Pleasant Lake · 335 ac · 6.1 mi
- Dinham Lake · 202 ac · 6.2 mi
- Coe Lake · 54 ac · 7.1 mi
- Mud Hen Lake · 161 ac · 7.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Elliot Lake?
Elliot Lake reaches 13 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 7 ft; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Elliot Lake?
Elliot Lake covers 373 acres with about 4.3 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Elliot Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Elliot Lake average 7.8 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Elliot Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2018) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Elliot Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Elliot Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Elliot Lake have a public access?
Yes. Elliot Lake has one public access site: Elliot Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Elliot Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 40"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Elliot Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Elliot Lake in 2018, the most recent of 6 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
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