Minnesota · Aitkin County
Elm Island Lake Fishing guide
Elm Island Lake sits in Aitkin County, Minnesota, and covers 520 acres, reaching 25 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 6 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 15 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2022Fair numbers1.2per gill net17"Typical23"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 11 fish
2023Lengths measured · 12 fish
2019Lengths measured · 6 fish
2013Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
2012Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeGood numbers12.6per gill net22"Typical34"Biggest
Lengths measured · 127 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 8 fish
2025Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 119 fish
2023Lengths measured · 62 fish
2019Lengths measured · 100 fish
2013BluegillJust a few11.4per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 242 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 53 fish
2025Lengths measured · 189 fish
2023Lengths measured · 82 fish
2019Lengths measured · 85 fish
2013CrappieJust a few1.3per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 329 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2025Lengths measured · 8 fish
2025Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 321 fish
2023Lengths measured · 231 fish
2019Lengths measured · 149 fish
2013Yellow perchGood numbers7.6per gill net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 76 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 76 fish
2023Lengths measured · 96 fish
2019Lengths measured · 52 fish
2013Lengths measured · 75 fish
2010Rates 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 Elm Island 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 75% 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.
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 75% 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.
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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 34" | — | — |
| 2023 | 31" | 23" | 12" |
| 2019 | 31" | 26" | 13" |
| 2013 | 33" | 20" | 15" |
| 2012 | 36" | 29" | 18" |
| 2010 | 34" | 27" | 12" |
| 2008 | 33" | 19" | 7" |
| 2003 | 31" | 26" | — |
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 · 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
Walleye · Trolling
Snap Weights + Stickbaits
4–5" suspending or slow-floating stickbait
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 |
|---|---|---|
| 2022 | Walleye | 6,716 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 8,674 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 12,072 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Elm Island Lake was conducted beginning on June 17th, 2025, by Lake Biological Monitoring and Assessment (LBMA) program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Fourteen sampling stations were completed with backpack electrofishing. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample seven stations, and a 15-foot seine was used at four stations. Three stations were not seined due to heavy vegetation and soft sediments. Nearshore sampling captured 13 species of fish including one species that is intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Rock Bass) and zero that are tolerant of disturbance.
Additionally, a summer trap net survey was conducted one week prior to the nearshore survey by LBMA program staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured seven species of fish, including zero that are intolerant of disturbance. Bluegill and Bowfin comprised a majority of the catch by number, whereas Bowfin and Northern Pike comprised a majority by biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a June 2023 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake.
Results from this survey and surveys in 2019 and 2023 provide evidence that the fish community in Elm Island Lake is improving as indicated by FIBI scores above the general use impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. The survey results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Mississippi River - Brainerd watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency. You can help protect the fish community in Elm Island Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Elm Island Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Elm Island 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
- Elm Island Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Elm Island Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Lone Lake · 434 ac · 2 mi
- Section Ten Lake · 436 ac · 2.1 mi
- Ripple Lake · 631 ac · 2.2 mi
- Section Twelve Lake · 170 ac · 2.5 mi
- Four Lake · 137 ac · 2.6 mi
- Nord Lake · 418 ac · 2.7 mi
- Sissabagamah Lake · 406 ac · 3.3 mi
- Diamond Lake · 82 ac · 3.3 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Elm Island Lake?
Elm Island Lake reaches 25 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 9 ft; about 75% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Elm Island Lake?
Elm Island Lake covers 520 acres with about 7.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Elm Island Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Elm Island Lake average 6 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Elm Island Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Elm Island Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2022; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Elm Island Lake have a public access?
Yes. Elm Island Lake has one public access site: Elm Island Lake (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Elm Island Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 34"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2003.
When was Elm Island Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Elm Island Lake in 2025, the most recent of 15 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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