Elliot Lake
St. Louis County, Minnesota373 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Elliot Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- Mesotrophic
- 13 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Elliot Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 372.93 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 2018 caught 5.56 northern pike per gill net at Elliot Lake. DNR survey details →
Elliot Lake is a 373-acre mesotrophic lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 13 feet (7-foot average). The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing. Compared to the 67 other monitored lakes in St. Louis County, Elliot Lake ranks #36 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-15. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
What Elliot Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
Swimming conditions
Readings onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae readings from past sampling — there is no live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Elliot Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Elliot Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Elliot Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Murky, only visible to about 6.2 ft. Phosphorus 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a 7.4 µg/L. TSI 50.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 6.2ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | 20.5µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | 7.4µg/L | Good GoodFairPoor |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 50 | Mesotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Ask about Elliot Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Elliot Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September. Summer average is about 74°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in May (about 56°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (56°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 22 field readings (2019–2019) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Elliot Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 2018 caught 5.56 northern pike per gill net at Elliot Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Elliot Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
6 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2018-07-30 (Standard Survey).
6 surveys on file · most recent 2018-07-30 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 15.82 | 3–7 in 2018-07-30 | 0.31 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 9.98 | 7–18 in 2018-07-30 | 1.28 lb |
| Brown Bullhead | 7.98 | 12–14 in 2018-07-30 | 1.02 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.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Brown Bullhead
From the 2018-07-30 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.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elliot Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ElliotFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Elliot (1791)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — ElliotPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
13 ft
Average depth
7 ft
Surface area
373 acres
Shoreline
4.3 mi
Littoral zone
100%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
2 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,342 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Elliot LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Elliot Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Elliot Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Elliot Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
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Follow Elliot Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Elliot Lake
Nearby Lakes in St. Louis County
Frequently asked questions about Elliot Lake
Where is Elliot Lake?
- Elliot Lake is a lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Elliot Lake?
- Elliot Lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 6.2 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 20.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 7.4 µg/L. Maximum depth: 13 ft. Surface area: 372.93 acres.
Is Elliot Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Elliot Lake?
- Elliot Lake typically sits around 64°F at the surface in September, from 22 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2019–2019). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Elliot Lake?
- Elliot Lake has a maximum depth of 13 feet and an average depth of 7 feet. The lake covers 372.93 acres.
What fish are in Elliot Lake?
- Fish species found in Elliot Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Elliot Lake is located in St. Louis County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Elliot Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on July 30, 2018 caught 5.56 northern pike per gill net at Elliot Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Elliot Lake’s water-quality measurements separately. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
Are there boat ramps on Elliot Lake?
- Elliot Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Elliot Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Elliot Lake?
- Elliot Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Elliot Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in St. Louis County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
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Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Lake Superior Basin (MN+WI), ranked by water quality
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- 4500 P E ~ Phosphorus in Water by Colorimetry- Ascorbic Acid Method
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory