Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake sits in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, and covers 1,289 acres, reaching 128 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 13 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 12 times, most recently in 2024, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.1per gill net18"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 28 fish
Recent · 2024Lengths measured · 28 fish
2024Lengths measured · 50 fish
2019Lengths measured · 34 fish
2015Lengths measured · 123 fish
2011Largemouth bassJust a few16.6per hr (electrofishing)15"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 13 fish
2024Lengths measured · 3 fish
2023Only 3 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 88 fish
2019Lengths measured · 15 fish
2015No recent survey rating.
Northern pikeFair numbers6.4per gill net21"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 59 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 58 fish
2024Lengths measured · 1 fish
2023Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 79 fish
2019Lengths measured · 77 fish
2015BluegillFair numbers45.9per trap net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 535 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 30 fish
2024Lengths measured · 505 fish
2023Lengths measured · 735 fish
2019Lengths measured · 296 fish
2015CrappieJust a few0.5per trap net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 6 fish
2024Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 5 fish
2023Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 11 fish
2019Lengths measured · 12 fish
2015Rock bassExcellent numbers4.7per gill net7"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 47 fish
Recent · 2023 + 2024Lengths measured · 42 fish
2024Lengths measured · 5 fish
2023Only 5 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 62 fish
2019Lengths measured · 49 fish
2015Rates 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. At 13 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 128 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.
Northern pike
- Spring
- Pike are in the shallow bays and along new weed growth. At 13 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 128 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 | Walleye | Northern pike | Largemouth bass |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2024 | 26" | 37" | 18" |
| 2023 | — | 18" | 15" |
| 2019 | 27" | 30" | 17" |
| 2015 | 30" | 31" | 18" |
| 2011 | 27" | 32" | 16" |
| 2007 | 29" | 32" | 17" |
| 2003 | 27" | 32" | 16" |
| 1999 | 30" | 33" | 18" |
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 · Trolling
Leadcore Line + Crankbaits
4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run
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
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 | 11,250 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 4,966 fingerlings · 30 yearlings · 260 adults |
| 2023 | Walleye | 11,040 fingerlings |
| 2022 | Walleye | 21,370 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 14,000 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 13,728 fingerlings · 436 yearlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 10,600 fingerlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 12,957 fingerlings · 240 yearlings · 1,450 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2024 survey
Long Lake is a 1,273-acre lake located in north-central Otter Tail County. The southwest shoreline of the lake abuts the city of Vergas, MN. Long Lake is composed of two distinct basins. The west basin is characteristic of an oligotrophic lake (i.e., deep and unfertile) while the east basin is characteristic of a mesotrophic lake (i.e., moderately deep and fertile). Several intermittent inlets are located along the north and south shorelines. An outlet to the Otter Tail River is located along the east shoreline. The inlets and outlet are not navigable by boat. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth is 128 feet; however, 42% of the lake is 15 feet or less in depth. Historically, secchi disk readings have ranged from 8.0 to 18.1 feet.
Development is scattered around the entire shoreline of the lake and consists of homes, cottages, and resorts. Approximately 40% of the shoreline remains undeveloped mixed hardwoods. A DNR owned concrete public water access is located off of State Highway 228 along the northwest shoreline of the lake. A city park is located along the west shoreline of the lake. A disabled accessible fishing pier is located in the park and is available for public use. The shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and gravel. Large stands of hardstem bulrush and common cattail are prevalent around the entire shoreline of the lake. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush and cattails provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms, and can absorb and break down polluting chemicals. Emergent plants provide spawning areas for fish such as Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and panfish. They also serve as important nursery areas for all species of fish. Because of their ecological value, emergent plants may not be removed without a DNR permit.
Read the full DNR narrative
Long Lake can be ecologically classified as a bass-panfish-walleye type of lake and this is reflected in the assemblage of the fish community. Walleye, Northern Pike, Largemouth Bass, and Bluegill are the dominant gamefish species. The prolificacy of these species can be attributed to the abundance of suitable spawning habitat that is available. A targeted survey (special gill netting) was conducted in 2024 to assess the Walleye and Northern Pike populations.
Walleye ranged in length from 9.3 to 26.2 inches with an average length and weight of 16.6 inches and 1.9 pounds, respectively. Walleyes attain an average length of 15.9 inches at four years of age.
Northern Pike ranged in length from 17.7 to 38.0 inches with an average length and weight of 22.8 inches and 2.6 pounds. Age data indicate that pike reproduction is consistently good. Northern Pike exhibit fast growth with an average length of 22.4 inches at four years of age.
Anglers can maintain the quality of fishing by practicing selective harvest. Selective harvest encourages the release of medium to large size fish while allowing the harvest of the more abundant smaller fish for table fare. Releasing the medium to large fish will ensure that the lake will have enough spawning age fish on an annual basis and will provide anglers with more opportunities to catch large fish in the future.
Long Lake was designated as infested with zebra mussels in 2018. Aquatic invasive species are threatening Minnesota waters. Aquatic invasive species can potentially harm water quality, water recreation, aquatic habitat, native species, and fish populations. Anglers can help prevent the introduction and spread of invasive species by following watercraft transportation laws.
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)
- Long Lake Fishing Pier (fishing pier)
DNR bathymetry
Long Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Rose Lake · 1,201 ac · 1.3 mi
- Jim Lake · 101 ac · 2.1 mi
- Sybil Lake · 683 ac · 2.6 mi
- Scalp Lake · 254 ac · 3.2 mi
- Little McDonald Lake · 1,316 ac · 3.5 mi
- Wimer Lake · 293 ac · 3.6 mi
- East Loon Lake · 1,044 ac · 3.7 mi
- Six Lake · 197 ac · 4.1 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 128 ft at its deepest point; about 41% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 1,289 acres with about 12.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 13 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2024) 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 2016.
Does Long Lake have a public access?
Yes. Long Lake has 2 public access sites, including Long Lake (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in Long Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 26"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1999.
When was Long Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Long Lake in 2024, the most recent of 12 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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