Ellingson

Ellingson Lake is a 138-acre eutrophic (fertile) lake located in southeastern Otter Tail County approximately three miles southeast of Clitherall, MN. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. A non-navigable outlet is located along the southeast shoreline. The maximum depth is 19 feet. However, 71% of the lake is less than 15 feet in depth. The secchi disk reading during the 2006 lake survey was 4.5 feet. Previous secchi disk readings have ranged from 3.0 to 3.5 feet. The MN DNR has classified Minnesota's lakes into 43 different lake classes based on physical and chemical characteristics. Ellingson Lake is included in lake class 34. Other area lakes in this same classification include Block, Deer, Round, Tonseth, and Walker. Shoreline development around the lake is minimal. Two houses were counted during the 2000 lake survey. A DNR owned public water access is located along the southeast shoreline. Emergent vegetation (hardstem bulrush, common cattail, and wild rice) is prevalent throughout the lake. Emergent plants provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms, and can actually absorb and break down polluting chemicals. Emergent plants provide spawning areas for fish such as northern pike, largemouth bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit. Ellingson Lake can be ecologically classified as a bass-panfish type of lake and this is reflected in the assemblage of the fish community. Northern pike, largemouth bass, black crappie, and bluegill are the dominant gamefish species. These species are prolific because of the abundance of suitable spawning habitat that is available. Northern pike abundance increased slightly from the 2000 survey but the size structure decreased. Only 8% of the northern pike were 24.0 inches or greater iin length. Pike ranged in length from 14.8 to 29.1 inches with a mean length and weight of 20.4 inches and 1.9 pounds. Bluegill abundance has increased dramatically and has reached a historical high. Size structure is also very good. Forty-two percent of the bluegills in the trap net sample were at least 7.0 inches in length. Bluegills in the trap net sample ranged in length from 3.7 to 9.3 inches. A spring trap net assessment for black crappies yielded a CPUE of 5.1 per net. Black crappies ranged in length from 3.6 to 10.9 inches with a mean length of 8.1 inches. PSD and RSD-P values were 80 and 4, respectively. A spring electrofishing assessment for largemouth bass yielded a CPUE of 30.1 fish per hour. Largemouth bass ranged in length from 4.4 to 13.9 inches with a mean length of 7.6 inches, whereas largemouth sampled during the spring trap net assessment ranged in length from 10.5 to 17.9 inches with a mean length of 15.6 inches. The walleye abundance in Ellingson Lake is considered low but the quality of the walleyes that are present is very good. Walleyes ranged in length from 22.8 to 29.5 inches with a mean length and weight of 26.9 inches and 6.7 pounds. Walleye fry stocking appears to be supplementing limited natural reproduction. Walleye management includes triennial walleye fry stocking. Anglers can maintain the quality of fishing by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large size fish while allowing the harvest of more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future.

Ellingson Lake is a 138-acre eutrophic (fertile) lake located in southeastern Otter Tail County, approximately three miles southeast of the town of Clitheral, MN. It has a maximum depth of 19 feet and 71% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. Shoreline substrates consist primarily of muck with some areas of sand and gravel. Secchi disk readings, a measure of water clarity, have ranged from 3.0 to 3.5 feet in past surveys. A DNR public water access is located on the southwest shoreline. Development around the lake is minimal; two houses were counted in the 2000 survey. Emergent vegetation (bulrush, cattail, wild rice) is prevalent throughout the lake. These plants are important because they provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines from erosion and can even absorb and breakdown pollutants from the water. Emergent plants provide spawning areas for fish species such as northern pike, largemouth bass and panfish. They are also important nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological importance, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit. Ellingson Lake can be ecologically classified as a bass-panfish type of lake and this is reflected in the assemblage of the fish community. Ellingson Lake contains good populations of bluegill, black crappie, and northern pike. These species are prolific because of the abundance of suitable spawning habitat that is available. Bluegill abundance has increased from previous surveys and a fair number of fish greater than 7.0 inches in length are present. Bluegill ranged in length from 3.2 to 9.3 inches with 16% of the bluegills exceeding 7.0 inches. Bluegill attain an average length of 7.3 inches at five years of age. Black crappie abundance appears to have declined from the previous survey, however, there remains a good number of fish 10.0 inches or greater in length. Crappie ranged in length from 6.3 to 13.0 inches. Thirteen percent of the crappies were at least 10.0 inches in length. Crappie attain a mean length of 9.0 inches at four years of age. Northern pike abundance remained at a moderate level. Twenty-seven percent of the pike were greater than 24 inches in length. Pike ranged in length from 16.6 to 31.7 inches with an average length and weight of 22.1 inches and 2.3 pounds. Largemouth bass are likely present in good numbers. An abundance of suitable bass spawning habitat is available throughout the lake. A spring electrofishing assessment would provide better information on the largemouth bass population. The walleye population is dominated by larger fish. Walleye ranged in length from 18.5 to 28.6 inches with an average length and weight of 23.6 inches and 4.6 pounds. Walleye fry stocking appears to be supplementing natural reproduction. Current walleye management calls for the triennial walleye fry stocking regime to continue. Anglers can maintain the quality of angling by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large-size fish while allowing the harvest of more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future.

The northern pike gill net catch rate more than doubled since the 1977 survey to a level four times the local median. A majority of the pike were age II+. This age class corresponds to an extreme high water event. The high water made many new spawning areas available. Common carp were sampled for the first time in this survey. The bluegill trap net catch rate declined by about 50%. Black crappies were sampled for the first time, with several year classes present. The walleye gill net catch rate declined, but remain nearly twice the local median. There is some evidence of natural reproduction as several III+ fish were sampled, which corresponds to a skip year in the stocking sequence.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Green Sunfish, Largemouth Bass, Yellow Perch, Hybrid Sunfish, and Walleye in Ellingson. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Ellingson. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Ellingson has a maximum depth of 19 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Ellingson is from 2006. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

No invasive species are on record for Ellingson in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.