Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest July 23, 1987
Little Elbow Lake FishingAWater-quality grade A
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Elbow Lake average 2.62 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 23, 1987. In Mahnomen County, Minnesota, Little Elbow Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of A. Water clarity averages 6.9 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 Little Elbow Lake
No stocking record for Little 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 Little Elbow Lake average 2.62 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 23, 1987.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Elbow Lake A from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry. 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: 1987-07-23 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 51.46 | 0.25 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 13.83 | 0.09 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.72 | 0.27 lb |
| Yellow Bass | 4.00 | 0.39 lb |
| Hybrid Sunfish | 2.75 | 0.05 lb |
| Northern Pike | 2.62 | 2.21 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 1987-07-23 survey
BLUEGILL DOMINATE THE FISH POPULATION STRUCTURE WITH NEARLY 140/TRAP NET SET. BLUEGILL APPEAR TO BE STUNTED WITH THE LENGTH MODE BEING APPROXIMATE- LY 4.2 STATE AND LOCAL MEDIANS WITH A VARIETY OF SIZES WHICH WOULD INDICATE ADEQUATE NATURAL REPRODUCTION BLACK CRAPPIE WERE ALSO QUITE PREVALENT BUT ALSO ARE OF A…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little 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 — Little ElbowFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Elbow (1945)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Little Elbow Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Little Elbow Lake average 2.62 northern pike per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 2 surveys. The most recent is a Standard Survey dated July 23, 1987. Those are survey results, not a catch report: a net set on one date measures what was in that net.
When was Little Elbow Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Little Elbow Lake is dated July 23, 1987. 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 Little Elbow Lake stocked?
No stocking record for Little 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 Little Elbow Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Little Elbow Lake A 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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