Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 16, 2003
Elms Lake FishingDWater-quality grade D
Minnesota DNR surveys at Elms Lake average 24.66 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 16, 2003. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–18 inches. In Isanti County, Minnesota, Elms Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of D. Water clarity averages 6.5 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 Elms Lake
13 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 Elms Lake
No stocking record for Elms 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 Elms Lake average 24.66 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 16, 2003. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Elms Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
2 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2003-06-16 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth Bass | 24.66 | 1.65 lb |
| Black Bullhead | 23.97 | 0.09 lb |
| Bluegill | 16.62 | 0.2 lb |
| Walleye | 3.70 | 1.02 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 3.15 | 0.17 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 2.32 | 0.25 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.
Largemouth Bass
Black Bullhead
Bluegill
Walleye
From the 2003-06-16 survey
Elms lake is a small, shallow lake located a mile south of Cambridge in central Isanti county. Public access can be gained from Florence lake through a short, navigable channel. Both lakes are subject to winterkill due in part to dense growths of aquatic vegetation. Gamefish are typically stocked into Florence lake…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elms Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — ElmsFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Elms (1842)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Elms Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Elms Lake average 24.66 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 16, 2003. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 2–18 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 13 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 Elms Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Elms Lake is dated June 16, 2003. 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 Elms Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Elms 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 Elms Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Elms Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, 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
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.
Where to stay near Elms Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Elms Lake
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