Minnesota · Meeker County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake covers 164 acres in Meeker County, Minnesota, reaching 28 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 9.2 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 10 times, most recently in 2018, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 8 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
No recent survey rating.
Largemouth bassFair numbers43.7per hr (electrofishing)10"Typical21"Biggest
Lengths measured · 232 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2018Lengths measured · 77 fish
2018Lengths measured · 155 fish
2013Lengths measured · 69 fish
2008Lengths measured · 252 fish
2003Northern pikeGood numbers12.8per gill net21"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 164 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2018Lengths measured · 69 fish
2018Lengths measured · 95 fish
2013Lengths measured · 5 fish
2008Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 14 fish
2003BluegillGood numbers74.8per trap net6"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1495 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2018Lengths measured · 1157 fish
2018Lengths measured · 338 fish
2013Lengths measured · 1376 fish
2008Lengths measured · 3550 fish
2003CrappieJust a few0.5per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 25 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2018Lengths measured · 17 fish
2018Lengths measured · 8 fish
2013Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 17 fish
2008Lengths measured · 49 fish
2003Yellow perchFair numbers3.6per gill net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 43 fish
Recent · 2013 + 2018Lengths measured · 7 fish
2018Only 7 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 36 fish
2013Lengths measured · 102 fish
2008Lengths measured · 10 fish
2003Rates 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.
- 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. With 65% of this lake 15 ft or shallower, the weed edge is the main event.
- Fall
- Pike are on the last green weeds and the breaks beside them, feeding heavily as the water drops.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn.
- 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 65% 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.
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 | Largemouth bass | Bluegill |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2018 | 32" | 21" | 7" |
| 2013 | 33" | 18" | 8" |
| 2008 | 33" | 20" | 7" |
| 2003 | 37" | 19" | 7" |
| 1994 | 25" | 16" | 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:
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
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
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 2018 survey
A standard survey was conducted at Long Lake near Dassel, beginning on June 25, 2018, to monitor the fish population. Long is a class 34 lake and net catches were compared to similar lakes around the state. The 2014 lake management plan (LMP) listed Bluegill and Largemouth Bass as the primary management species while Northern Pike were considered a secondary management species. A total of 12 species, plus Hybrid Sunfish, were sampled in the gill nets (GN), trap nets (TN), or by spring night-time electrofishing, the latter of which targets Largemouth Bass. On June 25, the dissolved oxygen concentration fell below 2.0 mg/l at 16.0 feet, indicating that some of the lake (maximum depth of 28 feet) lacked adequate oxygen for fish use at this time of the year. Water clarity was excellent, with a secchi disk reading of 9.1 feet. Long Lake has had a history of occasional winterkill, with the latest significant event occurring in 2011. Fish populations can fluctuate greatly depending on the frequency and severity of winterkill at Long Lake. Curlyleaf Pondweed, a non-native aquatic plant, can be abundant during May and June and then typically dies back in early July.
Gill nets sampled high numbers of Northern Pike (65) for a catch rate of 10.8/net, which was above the lake's normal range and was the second highest catch ever measured at Long Lake. The 2014 LMP's Northern Pike long range goal (>2.3/net and 5.9/TN and 22.5/hour) was met. The 2013 electrofishing catch rate was 49.5/hour. Electrofished Largemouth Bass were 6.1 to 21.7 inches long with an average of 14.0. Approximately 56% of the electrofishing sample was 14 inches or longer, indicating a quality size structure. The electrofishing size distribution indicated that multiple age classes were present, but recruitment was not strong every year.
Read the full DNR narrative
Gill nets sampled low numbers of Yellow Perch (7) for a catch rate of 1.2/net, which was below the lake's normal range. The 2013 catch rate was 6.0/net. Catch rates from 1973 to 2018 (n=10) were variable ranging from 1.2 to 96.2/net with an average of 22.9. Yellow Perch were 5.4 to 6.0 inches long with an average of 5.7. Data indicated inconsistent recruitment, possibly due to higher numbers of predatory Northern Pike over the last five years.
Trap nets and GN's failed to sample any Common Carp in 2018. Common Carp were also not sampled in the 2013 TN's or GN's, possibly indicating that they were no longer present in Long Lake or that numbers are at an undetectably low level. Dead Common Carp were observed following the 2011 winterkill and none were sampled in the subsequent winterkill survey from the spring of that year. Historic summer TN catch rates (n=11) from 1973 to 2018 were mostly low, ranging from 0.0 to 5.8/net with an average of 1.0. Historic GN catch rates (n=10) were mostly low, ranging from 0.0 to 5.8/net with an average of 1.3.
Gill nets sampled low numbers of Black Bullhead (5) for a catch rate of 0.8/net, which was below the lake's normal range. The 2013 catch rate was even lower at 0.0/net. Historic GN catch rates from 1973 to 2018 (n=9) were mostly low, ranging from 0.0 to 27.7/net with an average of 9.8. Gill netted fish were 10.6 to 11.8 inches long with an average of 11.2. Trap nets failed to sample Black Bullhead in 2018 (0.0/TN), which was the lowest catch rate ever recorded at Long. The 2013 TN catch rate was 0.7/net. Historic TN catch rates from 1973 to 2018 were mostly low, ranging from 0.0 to 16.8/net with an average of 2.9. Size distributions indicated inconsistent recruitment.
Gill nets sampled high numbers of Yellow Bullhead (239) for a catch rate of 39.8/net which was above the lake's normal range and the highest catch ever measured at Long Lake. The 2013 GN catch rate was 1.0/net. Historic GN catch rates from 1984 to 2018 (n=8) were variable ranging from 0.0 to 39.8/net with an average of 6.9. In 2018, gill netted Yellow Bullhead were 5.4 to 15.1 inches long with an average of 10.3. Approximately 88% of the GN catch was 9 inches or longer, indicating a quality size structure.
Additional species sampled in the standard gear included; Bowfin, Brown Bullhead, Golden Shiner, Green Sunfish, and Pumpkinseed Sunfish.
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
- Spring Lake · 201 ac · 1.3 mi
- Little Swan Lake · 52 ac · 1.8 mi
- Big Swan Lake · 684 ac · 2.6 mi
- Arvilla Lake · 138 ac · 3.1 mi
- Washington Lake · 2,438 ac · 4.2 mi
- Collinwood Lake · 639 ac · 4.5 mi
- Brooks Lake · 100 ac · 4.8 mi
- Cokato Lake · 553 ac · 6.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 28 ft at its deepest point; about 65% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 164 acres with about 3.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 9.2 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2018) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
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 (trailer launch).
How big do northern pike get in Long Lake?
The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 33"; 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 2018, the most recent of 10 surveys on record. A survey that old is a starting point, not a current reading.
Page updated .
Featured guide spot
Your guide service here
One featured guide per lake, with your photo, your writeup and a link straight to your booking page. Free through December 31, 2026.
Then $20 a month from January. Cancel any time.
The live map adds today's conditions and ranked spots for Long Lake, plus a trip plan you can share:
Open Long Lake on the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report