Minnesota DNR fisheries surveys · latest May 3, 2023
Lower Elk Lake FishingDWater-quality grade D
Minnesota DNR surveys at Lower Elk Lake average 10.73 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated May 3, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches. In Grant County, Minnesota, Lower Elk Lake carries an overall water-quality grade of D. Water clarity averages 1.8 feet of visibility, and there is one public boat landing. 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 Lower Elk Lake
12 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 Lower Elk 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.
Survey results in full
Minnesota DNR surveys at Lower Elk Lake average 10.73 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated May 3, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lower Elk Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
8 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2023-05-03 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg catch rate (CPUE) | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Black Bullhead | 44.08 | 0.5 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 20.70 | 0.19 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 10.73 | 1.18 lb |
| Bluegill | 8.34 | 0.17 lb |
| Black Crappie | 5.12 | 0.1 lb |
| Walleye | 2.39 | 2.29 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.
Black Bullhead
Yellow Perch
Largemouth Bass
Bluegill
From the 2023-05-03 survey
This targeted survey was completed to determine extent of winterkill following the severe 2022-2023 winter. Trap netting results indicated winterkill severity was high. Only two species (Black Bullhead and Yellow Perch) were captured. Due to frequency of winterkill on this basin, future management will focus on…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Lower Elk Lake. 2 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Lower ElkFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — Lower ElkFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
Common questions
What fish are in Lower Elk Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys at Lower Elk Lake average 10.73 largemouth bass per unit of sampling effort (CPUE) across 8 surveys. The most recent is a Targeted Survey dated May 3, 2023. Length samples in the latest survey that recorded them ran 4–18 inches. Minnesota DNR lists 12 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 Lower Elk Lake last surveyed?
The most recent fisheries survey on file for Lower Elk Lake is dated May 3, 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 Lower Elk Lake stocked?
Minnesota DNR publishes a stocking history for Lower Elk 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.
Does the water-quality grade tell me how Lower Elk Lake fishes?
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not a water-quality grade. LakeQuality grades Lower Elk Lake D from EPA Water Quality Portal chemistry, and the water-quality trend over 5 years of monitoring is improving. 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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