Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest June 20, 1980
Elton Lake FishingNRNot rated for water quality
Minnesota DNR surveys at Elton Lake average 7.00 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 1980. In Lake County, Minnesota, Elton Lake has no letter grade — no nutrient or algae measurement meets the evidence bar (at least 3 samples within 10 years). Water clarity averages 5.0 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.
Stocking at Elton Lake
No stocking record for Elton 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 Elton Lake average 7.00 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 1980.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Elton Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
1 survey on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 1980-06-20 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| White Sucker | 9.25 | 2.01 lb |
| Northern Pike | 7.00 | 2.46 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.
From the 1980-06-20 survey
(sounding on 9/12/72. So water level flct. (are probably great. Composed of above average populations of Northern Pike and Suckers. Burbot are present.
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Elton Lake. 1 report on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — EltonFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Elton Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Elton Lake average 7.00 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 1 survey. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated June 20, 1980. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Elton Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Elton Lake is dated June 20, 1980. 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 Elton Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Elton 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 Elton Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality does not assign an A–F grade on Elton Lake — official chemistry is on file, not a letter, and the water-quality trend over 2 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 Elton Lake
Top-rated places to stay near Elton Lake
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