Elbow Lake (St. Louis County, DOW 69074400)
St. Louis County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 69074400
DNR records show 8 stocking entries at Elbow Lake (St. Louis County, DOW 69074400) since 2016, most recently walleye fingerlings in 2025 (7,224 fish).
- Elbow Lake (St. Louis County, DOW 69074400) has 8 DNR stocking records across 8 years (2016-2025): walleye (8).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 112,317 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 60 ft; surface area 1,695 acres, 664 littoral acres, 27.8 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 6.7 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, cisco species, lake whitefish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (targeted survey).
- St. Louis County, nearest town Gheen; DNR lake number (DOW) 69074400.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 2/20/1952 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 7,224 | 328.4 |
| 2024 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 14,320 | 664.0 |
| 2023 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 5,060 | 404.7 |
| 2022 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 23,037 | 664.0 |
| 2021 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 9,628 | 332.0 |
| 2020 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 19,920 | 664.0 |
| 2018 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 15,102 | 663.0 |
| 2016 | Walleye2 | fingerlings | 18,026 | 662.7 |
2 fish purchased by the DNR for stocking.
Field note · Minnesota stocks by year, not by truck day: walleye fry go in within weeks of ice-out, fingerlings and yearlings mostly in fall, and stream trout in spring and fall. A row here means the fish went in during that year; DNR adds the year's rows after the fact, so the current year can look empty until winter.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| gravel ramp | Minnesota DNR | Located at the end of the Elbow Lake State Forest Road. Limited - Located at the end of the Elbow Lake State Forest Road. Limited parking. Ramp is firm gravel. |
| concrete ramp | county | Located on SW end of lake off County Road #426. Limited parking. - Located on SW end of lake off County Road 426. Limited parking. |
DNR fish survey, 2025
Temperature and dissolved oxygen (DO) measurements were collected from the deepest basin in Elbow Lake on August 20th, 2025, to evaluate the quantity and quality of cold, oxygenated water (i.e., oxythermal habitat) available to Lake Whitefish, the most sensitive coldwater species present in this lake (Cisco, also known as 'Tullibee', are also present). During the summer, Lake Whitefish require a layer of oxythermal habitat that contains water temperatures below 17.2 degrees C (63.0 degrees F) and dissolved oxygen concentrations above 3.0 mg/L. Based on the profile from the deepest basin (maximum sampled depth 49.2 feet), the water temperature decreased below 17.2 degrees C (63.0 degrees F) at 19.4 feet and the dissolved oxygen concentration decreased to 3.0 mg/L at 35.0 feet at the time of sampling. The thickness of this layer of water in the water column was 15.6 feet, indicating that oxythermal habitat was present for Lake Whitefish. Further, the temperature at which dissolved oxygen decreased to 3.0 mg/L (i.e., TDO3, a single variable to characterize oxythermal habitat) was 10.5 degrees C (50.9 degrees F). TDO3 values cooler than 17.2 degrees C (63.0 degrees F) indicate that oxythermal conditions were suitable for Lake Whitefish at the time of the survey. Data collected by the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources during the late summer period of maximum oxythermal stress (July 26th to Aug 24th) in 4 years, between 2008-2023, also indicate suitable oxythermal habitat in all years surveyed. When inadequate oxythermal habitat is available, Lake Whitefish are squeezed into unfavorable, warmer water conditions and experience higher levels of stress.
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
All Minnesota stockings · every Minnesota lake with a page · state CSV · this lake on DNR LakeFinder
Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02; contours are the DNR bathymetric survey. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
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