Minnesota · Isanti County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake is a 387-acre lake in Isanti County, Minnesota, reaching 15 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 1.5 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2022, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers7.2per gill net17"Typical21"Biggest
Lengths measured · 60 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 1 fish
2022Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 59 fish
2021Lengths measured · 4 fish
2013Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2009Largemouth bassJust a few9.5per hr (electrofishing)16"Typical19"Biggest
Lengths measured · 26 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 3 fish
2022Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 23 fish
2021Lengths measured · 19 fish
2013Lengths measured · 7 fish
2009Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeJust a few1.5per gill net22"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 3 fish
2022Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 22 fish
2021Lengths measured · 54 fish
2013Lengths measured · 81 fish
2009BluegillLast stocked 2019Just a few4.4per trap net6"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 71 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 37 fish
2022Lengths measured · 34 fish
2021Lengths measured · 61 fish
2013Lengths measured · 118 fish
2009CrappieLast stocked 2019Just a few8.3per trap net8"Typical50"Biggest
Lengths measured · 146 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2022Lengths measured · 32 fish
2022Lengths measured · 114 fish
2021Lengths measured · 436 fish
2013Lengths measured · 442 fish
2009Rates 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
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 1.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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. With 99% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Walleye are packing onto the sharpest breaks and points as the water cools, in big schools with short windows. A 15-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 1.5 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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. With 99% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Largemouth are chasing bait back onto the flats and into the remaining green weeds, feeding hard and shallow before the freeze. A 15-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2022 | 15" | 17" | 30" |
| 2021 | 21" | 19" | 31" |
| 2013 | 21" | 16" | 39" |
| 2009 | 28" | 21" | 34" |
| 2004 | 21" | 20" | 32" |
| 1999 | 22" | 18" | 32" |
| 1994 | 24" | 13" | 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:
Walleye · Live bait
Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler
jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Spinnerbait
3/8–1/2 oz safety-pin spinnerbait with tandem willow-leaf blades
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 | 390,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 390,000 fry |
| 2023 | Walleye | 390,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 390,000 fry |
| 2021 | Walleye | 390,000 fry |
| 2019 | Black Crappie | 3,220 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Bluegill Sunfish | 1,720 fingerlings |
| 2019 | Walleye | 390,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 390,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2022 survey
A targeted survey of nearshore fish species in Long Lake was conducted on June 14-16, 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 seine, where possible. Backpack electrofishing was completed at all ten sampling stations. Similarly, a 50-foot seine was used to sample seven stations, a 15-foot seine was used at threes stations. Nearshore sampling captured 15 species of fish including two species that are intolerant of disturbance (i.e., Blacknose Shiner and Iowa Darter) and six species that are tolerant of disturbance (i.e., Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Fathead Minnow, and Green Sunfish).
A concurrent summer trap net survey was conducted by IBI Program Staff. Nine trap nets were set along the shoreline and in shallow offshore locations that encompassed multiple habitat types. Black bullhead comprised a majority of the trap net catch by number and the majority of the catch by biomass. The number of Black Bullhead sampled per net was well above the 75% quartile for similar Lake Class 42 lakes.
Read the full DNR narrative
The nearshore and trap net data were combined with gill net data from a July 2021 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., 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.
Data from this survey indicates that the fish community in Long Lake is adversely impacted by stressors as indicated by a FIBI score below the impairment threshold for aquatic life use determined for similar lakes. Data from this survey will contribute biological information about the health of the fish community to the Rum River Watershed assessment process 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 (NE) (trailer launch)
- Long Lake (W) (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
Long Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Francis Lake · 269 ac · 2.3 mi
- Norris Lake · 54 ac · 7 mi
- Baxter Lake · 89 ac · 7.2 mi
- Spectacle Lake · 246 ac · 7.5 mi
- Florence Lake · 135 ac · 7.5 mi
- Blue Lake · 296 ac · 7.5 mi
- Green Lake · 833 ac · 8.1 mi
- George Lake · 489 ac · 8.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 15 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 5 ft; about 99% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 387 acres with about 5.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 1.5 ft of visibility, on the stained end 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.
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 2 public access sites, including Long Lake (NE) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Long Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 21"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1994.
When was Long Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Long Lake in 2022, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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