Minnesota · Becker County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake covers 415 acres in Becker County, Minnesota, reaching 61 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 16.5 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 14 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers1.6per gill net19"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 17 fish
2021Lengths measured · 18 fish
2016Lengths measured · 46 fish
2011Lengths measured · 35 fish
2006Largemouth bassPresent3.5per gill net12"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 47 fish
2021Lengths measured · 36 fish
2016Lengths measured · 28 fish
2011Lengths measured · 14 fish
2006No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeOne of the best around19.1per gill net16"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 163 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 163 fish
2021Lengths measured · 152 fish
2016Lengths measured · 115 fish
2011Lengths measured · 51 fish
2006BluegillJust a few19.6per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 217 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 217 fish
2021Lengths measured · 289 fish
2016Lengths measured · 268 fish
2011Lengths measured · 10 fish
2006Rock bassExcellent numbers1.6per trap net7"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 21 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 21 fish
2021Lengths measured · 8 fish
2016Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 33 fish
2011Lengths measured · 23 fish
2006Rates 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
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 16.5 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- Early summer
- Pike are on the outside weed edge and points.
- Summer
- Pike are on the deep weed edge and points near the coolest water they can find. On a lake that drops to 61 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 16.5 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 61 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 | Northern pike | Walleye | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 27" | 24" | 18" |
| 2016 | 28" | 22" | 15" |
| 2011 | 32" | 26" | 17" |
| 2006 | 30" | 24" | 15" |
| 2004 | 33" | 21" | 17" |
| 2000 | 30" | 26" | 19" |
| 1995 | 35" | 23" | 11" |
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:
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
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
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
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 | 242 fingerlings · 1,769 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 3,482 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 170 fingerlings · 1,208 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 5,342 fingerlings |
| 2017 | Walleye | 1,106 fingerlings · 61 yearlings · 115 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Long Lake is a 415-acre lake located in Becker County on the western city limits of Detroit Lakes. Long Lake possesses a heavily developed shoreline and receives a high level of recreational use and angling pressure, particularly during the open water season. Zebra mussels were discovered in the lake in 2020. A standard fisheries survey was completed on Long Lake in June 2021.
Walleye fingerlings are currently stocked into Long Lake biennially (odd-numbered years). Despite stocking, Walleye abundance in Long Lake is low. Walleye sampled in 2021 ranged in length from 15.8 to 21.0 inches, averaging 18.8 inches long.
Read the full DNR narrative
The average catch rate of Northern Pike in 2021 was about 19 pike per gill net, higher than the last five surveys. Northern Pike sampled in 2021 ranged in length from 4.3 to 27.8 inches, averaging 16.6 inches long. Pike between 14 and 19 inches accounted for 69% of sampled pike, characteristic of a population dominated by small sized fish.
The average number of Bluegill caught in trap nets in 2021 was roughly 19 per net, below the lake's historical average. Despite the decline in numbers caught, size structure of Bluegill has improved in Long Lake in the last two surveys. Sampled Bluegill ranged in length from 3.0 to 9.7 inches, with the average Bluegill measuring 5.7 inches long. Based on aging structures, it requires approximately eight years to grow an eight-inch Bluegill in Long Lake.
Catch rates of Yellow Perch have remained low in Long Lake since surveying began in 1953. Only one Yellow Perch was caught during the 2021 survey. Few Black Crappie have been caught during standard surveys on Long Lake. The 2021 trap net catch rate of Black Crappie was less than one crappie per net, similar to the lake's historic average. A total of 19 Largemouth Bass were caught in trap nets, ranging in length from 4.5 to 18.6 inches and averaging 10.4 inches long.
Additional species sampled in the 2021 survey included Black Bullhead, Brown Bullhead, Yellow Bullhead, Green Sunfish, Rock Bass, hybrid sunfish, Pumpkinseed, Cisco, and White Sucker. Yellow Bullhead were most abundant in catch among the three bullhead species.
Shoreline owners can help to maintain or improve water quality and fish habitat in Long Lake by maintaining shoreline buffer zones and leaving stands of native aquatic vegetation intact. Anglers and recreationalists can protect Long Lake's fishery by doing their best to stop the spread of aquatic invasive species and by releasing larger fish and harvesting smaller fish for consumption (specifically Northern Pike and Bluegill).
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, Airport Park (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Long Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Munson Lake · 134 ac · 1.9 mi
- Muskrat Lake · 69 ac · 2.7 mi
- Sallie Lake · 1,280 ac · 3.2 mi
- Pearl Lake · 280 ac · 3.4 mi
- Detroit Lake · 3,067 ac · 3.5 mi
- Floyd Lake · 1,178 ac · 4.4 mi
- Meadow Lake · 71 ac · 4.7 mi
- Little Floyd Lake · 215 ac · 5 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 61 ft at its deepest point; about 37% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 415 acres with about 6.4 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 16.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Long Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2017.
Does Long Lake have a public access?
Yes. Long Lake has one public access site: Long Lake, Airport Park (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Long Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1995.
When was Long Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Long Lake in 2021, the most recent of 14 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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