Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 13, 2016
Elbow Lake FishingFWater-quality grade F
Minnesota DNR surveys at Elbow Lake average 5.61 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 13, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 18–35 inches. In St. Louis County, Minnesota, Elbow Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of F. Water clarity averages 3.6 feet of visibility. The survey figures on this page are Minnesota DNR's own; the water-quality grade comes from EPA Water Quality Portal samples. Neither is a forecast of today's bite.
Species recorded at Elbow Lake
8 species on the Minnesota DNR list for this lake. A species on the list has been recorded here; it does not mean it is catchable today or in every part of the lake.
Stocking at Elbow Lake
No stocking record for Elbow Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is an absence in the published record, not a confirmation that the lake is unstocked — some waters are managed as naturally reproducing and never appear in a stocking list at all.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Elbow Lake average 5.61 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 13, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 18–35 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Elbow Lake F from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2016-06-13 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 199.32 | 0.3 lb |
| Black Crappie | 11.74 | 0.34 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 7.32 | 0.12 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.61 | 3.17 lb |
| Bluegill | 4.98 | 0.25 lb |
| White Sucker | 4.26 | 3.4 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE means more abundant in standardized sampling. This is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Black Bullhead
Black Crappie
Yellow Perch
Northern Pike
From the 2016-06-13 survey
Elbow Lake is a 169 acre lake located southwest of the city of Virginia. It is accessed by an earthen ramp on the southwest side of the lake. It has a maximum depth of 22 feet and green colored water. On June 14, 2016 the surface temperature was 66 F and the bottom was 52 F. Oxygen levels were adequate for gamefish to…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elbow Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ElbowFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Elbow (1764)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Elbow Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Elbow Lake average 5.61 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 4 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 13, 2016. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 18–35 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 8 species for the lake in total. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Elbow Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Elbow Lake is dated June 13, 2016. Survey intervals vary by lake and by species; a gap of several years between surveys is normal and does not mean the record is missing.
Is Elbow Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Elbow Lake appears in the Minnesota DNR material on file. That is not the same as a confirmed unstocked lake: it means no stocking document was published for it in the records this page draws on.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Elbow Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Elbow Lake F from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
A water-quality grade is not a consumption advisory. Mercury and PCB advice for Minnesota waters comes from MDH, and it is issued per species and per size class — a lake can grade well and still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
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