Minnesota · St. Louis County
Ely Lake Fishing guide
Ely Lake sits in St. Louis County, Minnesota, and covers 723 acres, reaching 70 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 18.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 13 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Good numbers5.6per gill net18"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 57 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 57 fish
2023Lengths measured · 66 fish
2017Lengths measured · 62 fish
2012Lengths measured · 84 fish
2008Largemouth bassJust a few2.6per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical15"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 21 fish
2023Lengths measured · 252 fish
2017Lengths measured · 33 fish
2012Lengths measured · 60 fish
2008Northern pikeJust a few3per gill net26"Typical41"Biggest
Lengths measured · 27 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 27 fish
2023Lengths measured · 14 fish
2017Lengths measured · 22 fish
2012Lengths measured · 8 fish
2008Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
BluegillJust a few9.5per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 295 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 295 fish
2023Lengths measured · 983 fish
2017Lengths measured · 728 fish
2012Lengths measured · 562 fish
2008CrappieJust a few2.5per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 56 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 56 fish
2023Lengths measured · 74 fish
2017Lengths measured · 112 fish
2012Lengths measured · 54 fish
2008Yellow perchGood numbers6.7per gill net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 64 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 64 fish
2023Lengths measured · 53 fish
2017Lengths measured · 20 fish
2012Lengths measured · 59 fish
2008Rock bassGood numbers0.9per seine haul5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 18 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 18 fish
2023Lengths measured · 82 fish
2017Lengths measured · 176 fish
2012Lengths measured · 99 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 Ely Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 18.5 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 70 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 18.5 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 70 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 | Smallmouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 27" | 15" | 16" |
| 2017 | 28" | 18" | 16" |
| 2012 | 27" | 14" | 16" |
| 2008 | 22" | 19" | 16" |
| 2004 | 29" | 18" | 16" |
| 2000 | 28" | 18" | 15" |
| 1996 | 27" | 15" | 16" |
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
Smallmouth bass · Soft plastics
Drop Shot (Finesse Plastic)
4" finesse worm or 3" minnow-profile plastic
Smallmouth bass · Jigs & bladed
Tail Spinner
Compact lead body with a free-spinning blade on the tail
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 | 2,535 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 4,901 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 5,706 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 5,449 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 4,620 fingerlings |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Ely Lake was conducted on August 25th-August 28th, 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, mini-fyke nets, and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at 14 sampling stations. Similarly, a 1/8" mesh mini-fyke net was used to sample 14 stations. Finally, a 50-foot seine was used to sample 10 stations, but four stations were not seined due to steep drop-offs and heavy woody debris. Nearshore sampling captured 19 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. 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 Ely Lake by reducing runoff, maintaining natural shorelines, and preventing the spread of invasive species.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Ely Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Ely 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
- Ely Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Ely Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Deep Lake · 73 ac · 1.5 mi
- St. Mary's Lake · 234 ac · 2.2 mi
- Gilbert Pit · 243 ac · 2.2 mi
- Pleasant Lake · 335 ac · 3.8 mi
- Long Lake · 150 ac · 4.4 mi
- Half Moon Lake · 162 ac · 4.8 mi
- Manganika Lake · 168 ac · 5.1 mi
- Lost Lake · 124 ac · 5.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Ely Lake?
Ely Lake reaches 70 ft at its deepest point; about 31% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Ely Lake?
Ely Lake covers 723 acres with about 9.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Ely Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Ely Lake average 18.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Ely Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Ely Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Ely Lake have a public access?
Yes. Ely Lake has one public access site: Ely Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Ely Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Ely Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Ely Lake in 2025, the most recent of 13 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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