Minnesota · Otter Tail County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake sits in Otter Tail County, Minnesota, and covers 767 acres, reaching 73 ft at its deepest point. Average water clarity runs about 8.7 ft. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 9 times, most recently in 2023, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Excellent numbers9.9per gill net14"Typical26"Biggest
Lengths measured · 89 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 89 fish
2023Lengths measured · 109 fish
2016Lengths measured · 42 fish
2007Lengths measured · 26 fish
2003Largemouth bassPresent1.6per gill net15"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 14 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 14 fish
2023Lengths measured · 29 fish
2016Lengths measured · 132 fish
2007Lengths measured · 22 fish
2003Northern pikeFair numbers8.6per gill net21"Typical31"Biggest
Lengths measured · 77 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 77 fish
2023Lengths measured · 65 fish
2016Lengths measured · 143 fish
2007Lengths measured · 148 fish
2003Rock bassGood numbers1.2per gill net4"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 11 fish
Recent · 2023Lengths measured · 11 fish
2023Lengths measured · 36 fish
2016Lengths measured · 20 fish
2007Lengths measured · 7 fish
2003Only 7 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.
- 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 73 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.
- 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 73 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2023 | 26" | 31" | 18" |
| 2016 | 27" | 34" | 14" |
| 2007 | 27" | 28" | 17" |
| 2003 | 27" | 31" | 16" |
| 1999 | 26" | 31" | 19" |
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 | 2,500 fingerlings |
| 2024 | Walleye | 228 fingerlings · 483 yearlings · 1,164 adults |
| 2022 | Walleye | 6,025 fingerlings · 629 yearlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 4,000 fingerlings |
| 2020 | Walleye | 2,149 yearlings · 148 adults |
| 2019 | Walleye | 4,000 fingerlings |
| 2018 | Walleye | 489 yearlings · 607 adults |
| 2017 | Walleye | 3,000 yearlings |
| 2016 | Walleye | 2,298 adults |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2023 survey
Long Lake is a 756-acre mesotrophic (moderately fertile) lake located in west-central Otter Tail County approximately nine miles north of Fergus Falls, MN. Long Lake is located within the Otter Tail River Watershed. An inlet is located along the east shoreline and an outlet dam is located along the northwest shoreline. The immediate watershed is composed primarily of agricultural land interspersed with hardwood woodlots. The maximum depth of Long Lake is 73 feet; however, 40% of the lake is less than 15 feet in depth. The secchi disk reading during the 2023 survey was 10.4 feet. Previous secchi disk readings ranged from 5.6 to 8.3 feet.
The western portion of Long Lake has been extensively developed. Homes and cottages compose the majority of the development. A large resort and campground complex is also located along the western shoreline. A DNR owned concrete public access is located off of County Road 27 along the southwest shoreline. The shoal water substrates consist primarily of sand and gravel. Large stands of hardstem bulrush and common cattail are prevalent throughout the eastern portion of the lake. Emergent aquatic plants such as bulrush and cattail provide valuable fish and wildlife habitat, and are critical for maintaining good water quality. They protect shorelines and lake bottoms, and can actually 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. To maintain the excellent water quality and angling that this lake has to offer, it is imperative to preserve the quality of the aquatic habitat.
Read the full DNR narrative
A special gillnetting survey was conducted to analyze the Walleye and Northern Pike populations
Walleye abundance in the two most recent surveys is the highest recorded for this lake. Age data indicate that the 2020 and 2021 year classes are strong and should provide good Walleye angling in the future. Walleyes ranged in length from 7.5 to 26.5 inches with an average length and weight of 15.8 inches and 1.5 pounds. Walleyes attain an average length of 15.6 inches at four years of age.
Northern Pike have historically been very abundant. Age data indicate that reproduction is consistently good. Northern Pike ranged in length from 17.4 to 31.1 inches with an average length and weight of 22.5 inches and 2.5 pounds. Northern Pike attain an average length of 25.3 inches at five 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 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 listed as infested with zebra mussels in 2018. Aquatic invasive species are threatening Minnesota waters. The non-native fish 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)
DNR bathymetry
Long Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Jewett Lake · 747 ac · 1.3 mi
- Anderson Lake · 89 ac · 3.4 mi
- Heilberger Lake · 221 ac · 4.6 mi
- Twenty-one Lake · 142 ac · 5.7 mi
- Fish Lake · 1,078 ac · 7.7 mi
- South Lida Lake · 777 ac · 8 mi
- Fladmark Lake · 59 ac · 8 mi
- Beers Lake · 317 ac · 8.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 73 ft at its deepest point; about 40% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 767 acres with about 7.5 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 8.7 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2023) record walleye, largemouth 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 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 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 2023, the most recent of 9 surveys on record.
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