Minnesota · Meeker County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake sits in Meeker County, Minnesota, and covers 783 acres, reaching 11 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 2.2 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, northern pike, bluegill and crappie in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2016One of the best around13per gill net18"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 78 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 78 fish
2021Lengths measured · 2 fish
2019Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Northern pikeLast stocked 2019Excellent numbers15per gill net23"Typical33"Biggest
Lengths measured · 96 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 6 fish
2025Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 90 fish
2021Lengths measured · 1 fish
2019Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 52 fish
2004BluegillLast stocked 2025Just a few0.2per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1221 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 2 fish
2025Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 1219 fish
2021Lengths measured · 60 fish
2019Lengths measured · 8 fish
2014Only 8 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
CrappieFair numbers17.5per trap net5"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 1960 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 210 fish
2025Lengths measured · 1750 fish
2021Lengths measured · 4 fish
2019Only 4 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Yellow perchLast stocked 2019Excellent numbers13.7per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 115 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2025Lengths measured · 33 fish
2025Lengths measured · 82 fish
2021Lengths measured · 10 fish
2019Lengths measured · 1 fish
2014Only 1 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
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. In 2.2 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 100% 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 11-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. In 2.2 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 100% 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. A 11-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 | Northern pike | Yellow perch |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | — | 27" | 10" |
| 2021 | 24" | 33" | 10" |
| 2019 | 19" | 24" | 10" |
| 2014 | — | — | 8" |
| 2004 | — | 29" | 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:
Walleye · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
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
Yellow perch · Soft plastics
Curly-Tail Grub on Jig
3" curly-tail grub threaded on a round jighead
Yellow perch · 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.
DNR stocking records
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Stocked |
|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Bluegill Sunfish | 302 adults |
| 2025 | Hybrid Sunfish | 83 adults |
| 2019 | Northern Pike | 300 adults |
| 2019 | Yellow Perch | 2,210 yearlings · 802 adults |
| 2018 | Northern Pike | 124 adults |
| 2018 | Yellow Perch | 8,000 yearlings · 70 adults |
| 2017 | Northern Pike | 167 adults |
| 2016 | Northern Pike | 127 adults |
| 2016 | Walleye | 1,970,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
Long is a moderate sized lake (782 acres) located south of Grove City in Meeker County. It has over eight miles of shoreline, with a maximum depth of eleven feet. However, much of the lake is around six feet in depth. The public boat access is located on the northeast shore. Long occasionally suffers partial winterkills of fish during harsh winters, with the latest event occurring in 2023. Fish populations can fluctuate widely depending on severity and frequency of winterkill. Milder winters in recent decades, with decreased winterkill events, have led to increased boom-and-bust angling opportunities at this lake. Northern Pike are the primary management species, while Bluegill, Black Crappie and Yellow Perch are listed as a secondary species in the 2023 lake management plan. Curly-leaf pondweed can form dense surface mats in May and June at Long Lake, making boating difficult. A targeted survey (June trap netting) was conducted at Long on June 9th, 2025, to monitor the fish population. Bluegill and Hybrid Sunfish were stocked in 2025.
The best options for anglers at Long Lake are Northern Pike, Black Crappie and Yellow Perch. Maximum pike length was 27.6 inches. Good numbers of Black Crappie were netted with average length being 8.0 inches. Maximum crappie length was 11.0 inches. In addition, a solid number of Yellow Perch were sampled. Approximately 39% of the perch catch was 8 inches or longer with a maximum length of 10.9 inches.
Read the full DNR narrative
Additional fish species captured in the trap nets included Black Bullhead (which dominated the catch), Brown Bullhead, Green Sunfish and Hybrid Sunfish.
People can have significant impacts on lakes and the fish populations they support. Over harvest, lakeshore development, removal of shoreline vegetation, and introductions of invasive species can all adversely affect fish populations. Aquatic invasive species (AIS) are typically moved from infested to non-infested waters by anglers, boaters and lakeshore owners, and can adversely impact lakes and fish populations. To avoid spreading AIS, lake users are required to remove all aquatic plants and animals from their watercraft and drain all lake water from their boat and bait buckets before leaving the lake. If you suspect an infestation of an invasive species in this lake, save a specimen and report it to a local MNDNR office. Additional information on all these topics can be found on the MNDNR website (www.dnr.state.mn.us) or by contacting the Hutchinson Area Fisheries office.
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
- Hope Lake · 274 ac · 2.3 mi
- Star Lake · 553 ac · 4.7 mi
- Carrie Lake · 89 ac · 6 mi
- Ripley (west portion) Lake · 614 ac · 6.4 mi
- Ella Lake · 153 ac · 7.2 mi
- Elizabeth (Main Lake) · 1,024 ac · 7.4 mi
- Round Lake · 266 ac · 8.4 mi
- Minnie-Belle Lake · 597 ac · 8.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 11 ft at its deepest point; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 783 acres with about 8.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 2.2 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch.
Is Long Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked bluegill sunfish and hybrid sunfish in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does Long Lake have a public access?
Yes. Long Lake has one public access site: Long Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Long Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2004.
When was Long Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Long Lake in 2025, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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