Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 26, 2023
Species recorded at Elkhorn Lake
15 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 Elkhorn Lake
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for this lake — which species went in, how many, and in which years. Read the years: a lake stocked in one year is not necessarily stocked in the next.
Getting on the water
1 public boat landing is recorded on Elkhorn Lake. Minnesota DNR lists the public access sites, including ramp type and parking, in the documents below.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 26, 2023 caught 0.33 walleye per trap net at Elkhorn Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–26 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Elkhorn Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
10 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-06-26 (Standard Survey).
10 surveys on file · most recent 2023-06-26 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 53.76 | 4–15 in 2023-06-26 | 1.11 lb |
| Bluegill | 50.43 | 2–9 in 2023-06-26 | 0.12 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 10.19 | 6 in 2018-06-25 | 0.09 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 6.74 | 3–8 in 2023-06-26 | 0.14 lb |
| Walleye | 4.99 | 9–26 in 2023-06-26 | 2.16 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 4.74 | 9–13 in 2023-06-26 | 0.65 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and 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.
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
Yellow Perch
Hybrid Sunfish
From the 2023-06-26 survey
A standard survey of Elkhorn Lake was conducted in late-June of 2023. Survey methodology and gears used to sample the Elkhorn fish population included six standard trapnets, two large frame trapnets and June night boat electrofishing. Gillnets are an optional survey gear for lakes under 100 acres. Gillnets were not…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elkhorn Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ElkhornFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — ElkhornFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ElkhornPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Elkhorn Lake?
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 26, 2023 caught 0.33 walleye per trap net at Elkhorn Lake. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 9–26 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 15 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 Elkhorn Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Elkhorn Lake is dated June 26, 2023. 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 Elkhorn Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Elkhorn Lake. It records which species were released, in what numbers and in which years — the source documents are linked further down this page. A lake can be stocked in some years and not others, so read the years rather than assuming an annual release.
Do the water-quality readings tell me how Elkhorn Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Elkhorn Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Before you eat what you catch
Water-quality readings are 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 with clear, low-nutrient water can still carry a meal limit on larger predator fish.
Where to stay near Elkhorn Lake
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