Minnesota · Aitkin County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake sits in Aitkin County, Minnesota, and covers 435 acres, reaching 116 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 11.9 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 26 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Just a few0.2per gill net19"Typical28"Biggest
Lengths measured · 123 fish
Recent · 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 106 fish
2025Lengths measured · 9 fish
2024Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 7 fish
2024Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1 fish
2024Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Largemouth bassGood numbers60per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 262 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 253 fish
2024Lengths measured · 9 fish
2024Only 9 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 89 fish
2019Lengths measured · 4 fish
2014Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few2.2per gill net17"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 177 fish
Recent · 2024 + 2025Lengths measured · 122 fish
2025Lengths measured · 33 fish
2024Lengths measured · 15 fish
2024Lengths measured · 7 fish
2024Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
BluegillJust a few3.7per trap net6"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 232 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 75 fish
2024Lengths measured · 120 fish
2024Lengths measured · 37 fish
2024Lengths measured · 212 fish
2019CrappieJust a few0.7per trap net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 42 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 11 fish
2024Lengths measured · 19 fish
2024Lengths measured · 12 fish
2024Lengths measured · 10 fish
2019Present and managed by the DNR. Standard survey gear does not count this species reliably.
Rock bassGood numbers4.7per hr (electrofishing)9"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 19 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 6 fish
2024Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 8 fish
2024Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2024Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 3 fish
2019Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Rates come from standard DNR survey gear (gill nets, trap nets, electrofishing), judged against statewide benchmarks for the same gear, so the same number of fish per net can read differently for two species. Where the standard gear can't count a species reliably, only presence and size are listed. Typical is the middle fish of those measured. Open a row for the full length spread, survey by survey.
How to fish Long Lake through the year
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 11.9 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Largemouth are on the shallow spawning flats and protected bays, where beds go on firm bottom next to isolated cover.
- Summer
- Largemouth are in and along the weeds: cabbage and milfoil edges, matted cover and shade. On a lake that drops to 116 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 11.9 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Walleye are setting up on the outside weed edge, points and shallow structure.
- Summer
- Walleye are working the weed edge, points and any wind-blown structure. On a lake that drops to 116 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows.
Season patterns for each species. Open the live map for today's wind, light and water temp.
Size history
Biggest fish by survey year
| Survey year | Largemouth bass | Walleye | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | 28" | 31" |
| 2024 | 18" | 25" | 30" |
| 2019 | 18" | 29" | 33" |
| 2014 | 14" | 29" | 31" |
| 2012 | — | 30" | 31" |
| 2010 | — | 16" | — |
| 2009 | 16" | 26" | 29" |
| 1998 | 14" | 21" | 32" |
Longest fish measured by DNR survey crews in each year's nets. Survey gear samples the population, so the lake usually holds larger fish than any survey measured.
Suggested tackle
What to bring
Top presentations for this lake's structure and clarity:
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Free Rig
Creature bait or magnum finesse worm
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Muskie & pike
Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)
10" soft rubber body bait
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | 2,960 fingerlings · 641 yearlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 5,098 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 6,490 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Splake | 10,000 fingerlings · 455 yearlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 5,026 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 4,860 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Splake | 10,869 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 3,080 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Splake | 2,000 yearlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 7,140 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Splake | 10,000 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 4,455 fingerlings |
Stocking records before 2018 omitted.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
A temperature-dissolved oxygen (TDO) profile was collected on 8/4/2025, to measure the amount of thermal habitat available for Tullibee. Adequate oxy-thermal habitat for Tullibee survival was observed from a depth of 13 feet to approximately 106 feet. In some years, a TDO3 (temperature at 3 mg/l dissolved oxygen) value cannot be calculated as the dissolved oxygen does not fall below 3ppm. This year the TDO3 was calculated at 18.5, 9.0, and 5.6 degrees C across multiple depths. TDO data indicates sufficient Tullibee habitat in each year since monitoring began (2007), although a significant summer kill was observed in 2009 when the poorest TDO values were observed as water temperatures peaked in mid-September. The lake provides "good" habitat compared to other lakes in the Aitkin management area that are monitored for Tullibee habitat. Because the management area is located near the southern edge of Minnesota's Tullibee range, TDO profiles should continue to be recorded to monitor the availability of cold-water habitat.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
Long Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on Long Lake from guides, tournaments and regular anglers. Anything posted in the last two weeks also bumps the matching spots on the live map, so you'll see a "matches a recent report" tag on them.
Public water access
Getting on the water
- Long Lake (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Long Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Dam Lake · 598 ac · 2.1 mi
- Rabbit Lake · 212 ac · 2.8 mi
- Clear Lake · 574 ac · 4.1 mi
- Section Twelve Lake · 170 ac · 4.4 mi
- Sugar Lake · 416 ac · 5 mi
- Section Ten Lake · 436 ac · 5.3 mi
- Sissabagamah Lake · 406 ac · 5.5 mi
- Rice Lake · 3,684 ac · 6.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 116 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 30 ft; about 28% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 435 acres with about 5.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 11.9 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, splake, rock bass.
Is Long Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2018.
Does Long Lake have a public access?
Yes. Long Lake has one public access site: Long Lake (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Long Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 18"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1998.
When was Long Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Long Lake in 2025, the most recent of 26 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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