Minnesota · Cass County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake sits in Cass County, Minnesota, and covers 279 acres, reaching 80 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 12.4 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
BluegillJust a few9per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 81 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 81 fish
2022Lengths measured · 108 fish
2020Lengths measured · 134 fish
2013Lengths measured · 217 fish
2006CrappieJust a few1.9per trap net8"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 17 fish
Recent · 2022Lengths measured · 17 fish
2022Lengths measured · 55 fish
2020Lengths measured · 6 fish
2013Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 28 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
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 12.4 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 80 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 12.4 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 80 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.
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 | Northern pike | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 11" | 22" | 8" |
| 2020 | 13" | 30" | 8" |
| 2013 | 17" | 30" | 8" |
| 2006 | 18" | 27" | 9" |
| 2001 | 15" | 25" | 7" |
| 1996 | 17" | 33" | 7" |
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
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
Bluegill · Live bait
Clip-On Bobber + Worm
half to whole garden nightcrawler
Bluegill · Soft plastics
Tungsten Jig + Micro Plastic
1–1.5" micro plastic
Full setups, including hooks, weights and line, are on the live map. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Long Lake was conducted on July 21, 2022, by Index of Biological Integrity (IBI) Program staff. Sampling sites were evenly spaced around the lake, and each was sampled by backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot or 15-foot seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing and seining with a 50-foot seine were completed at ten sampling stations. Nearshore sampling captured twenty species of fish including seven species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Banded Killifish, Blackchin Shiner, Blacknose Shiner, Iowa Darter, Mimic Shiner, Pugnose Shiner, and Rock Bass) and none that are tolerant of disturbance.
A summer trap net survey was also conducted by IBI Program staff on July 25-27, 2022. Nine nets were set along the shoreline in locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Trap net sampling captured nine species of fish, including one that is intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Rock Bass). Bluegill comprised a majority of the catch by number and biomass.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2020 survey to describe the fish community and provide a fish-based IBI (FIBI) score. The FIBI uses fish community data to measure a lake's health, and the types of fish species present can help identify any stressors that may be negatively affecting the lake environment. In Minnesota lakes, certain fish species cannot survive without clean water and a healthy habitat (e.g., Blackchin Shiner, Iowa Darter, and Rock Bass), while other species are tolerant of degraded conditions (e.g., Fathead Minnow and Green Sunfish). The FIBI score, composed of several fish community diversity and composition metrics, indicates the overall health of a lake by comparing it to what is expected for a healthy lake. For additional information on the FIBI, search for "lake index of biological integrity" on the mndnr.gov website.
Results from this survey indicate that the fish community in Long Lake is healthy as indicated by an FIBI score that exceeds the exceptional use threshold determined for similar lakes. These results will be considered when the biological health of the lake is assessed during the Leech Lake River Watershed assessment process, which will be completed in coordination with MN Pollution Control Agency.
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, Walker (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Long Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- May Lake · 143 ac · 1.2 mi
- Portage Lake · 277 ac · 5 mi
- Bass Lake · 278 ac · 5.1 mi
- Big Bass Lake · 133 ac · 5.2 mi
- Howard Lake · 386 ac · 5.8 mi
- Benedict Lake · 464 ac · 6.1 mi
- Little Bass Lake · 114 ac · 6.4 mi
- Shingobee Lake · 172 ac · 6.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 80 ft at its deepest point; about 29% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 279 acres with about 4.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 12.4 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2022) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is Long Lake stocked?
No stocking is on record for Long Lake in the DNR's stocking database.
Does Long Lake have a public access?
Yes. Long Lake has one public access site: Long Lake, Walker (trailer launch).
How big do largemouth bass get in Long Lake?
The biggest largemouth bass measured in recent DNR surveys taped 11"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1996.
When was Long Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Long Lake in 2022, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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