Fishing at Elk Lake, Sherburne County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Sherburne County, Minnesota, is where Elk Lake sits. It sits at 938 feet above sea level. At some 339 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. You are looking at roughly 4.2 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. On our Sherburne County list it sits near the top for size. Zimmerman lies 3.5 miles from the water. For a city, Minneapolis is 39 miles off. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Elk Lake

  Surveys put the deepest water at about 17 feet. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Sherburne County include bluegill, northern pike, largemouth bass and black crappie. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Anyone new to Elk Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 71°F, the coldest about 10°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. Break-up sits around early April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. At Elk Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Rules at Elk Lake are worth checking on the day.