Minnesota · Ramsey County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake sits in Ramsey County, Minnesota, and covers 173 acres, reaching 30 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 5.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 11 times, most recently in 2021, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and muskellunge in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
Northern pikeJust a few2.2per gill net22"Typical30"Biggest
Lengths measured · 15 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 15 fish
2021Lengths measured · 6 fish
2014Only 6 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 17 fish
2008Lengths measured · 26 fish
2003Last recorded in the 1988 survey and not seen since.
BluegillJust a few7.1per trap net4"Typical7"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 65 fish
2021Lengths measured · 111 fish
2014Lengths measured · 65 fish
2008Lengths measured · 232 fish
2003CrappieJust a few2.2per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 61 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 61 fish
2021Lengths measured · 21 fish
2014Lengths measured · 67 fish
2008Lengths measured · 136 fish
2003No recent survey rating.
Last recorded in the 1993 survey and not seen since.
Channel catfishLast stocked 2021Good numbers2per gill net19"Typical20"Biggest
Lengths measured · 10 fish
Recent · 2021Lengths measured · 10 fish
2021Lengths measured · 1 fish
2014Only 1 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
2003Only 2 fish measured that year — too few to read as a shape.
Lengths measured · 2 fish
1998Only 2 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. With 64% 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.
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 64% 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 | Walleye | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2021 | 24" | 17" | 30" |
| 2014 | — | 14" | 25" |
| 2008 | 21" | — | 33" |
| 2003 | 25" | 5" | 30" |
| 1998 | 26" | 13" | 32" |
| 1993 | 26" | 14" | 22" |
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
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Topwater Popper
2.5–3" concave-face popper
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
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
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 | White Bass | 23,000 fingerlings |
| 2025 | Yellow Perch | 10,680 adults |
| 2024 | Walleye | 430,000 fry · 204 yearlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 110,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 110,000 fry |
| 2021 | Channel Catfish | 1,120 fingerlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 110,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 110,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 100,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 110,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 220,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2021 survey
Long Lake is a eutrophic, 172-acre water body in Ramsey County assigned to lake class 30. It is comprised of two sub-basins lying north and south of each other with Rice Creek flowing through the northern basin. Rice Creek continues on to connect with the Mississippi River which results in some fish species in Long Lake that are normally associated with river systems. Walleye are the primary management species in the lake and they are stocked annually at a rate of 1,000 fry per littoral acre. The lake was sampled using gill nets and trap nets in August 2021. The previous survey was conducted in 2014.
No Walleye were sampled by gill nets in this survey. There has not been a notable catch of Walleye in this lake since 1998. Two Walleye were sampled in trap nets. These fish were 22.8 and 24.9 inches long. They were not aged as they were captured alive and released. It is unlikely however that they came from any recent fry stockings. Dissolved oxygen levels were depleted at a depth of 15 feet where they were tested in the deepest part of the lake. While this is not abnormally shallow, the steep drop off near shore around the majority of the lake requires gill nets to be set near and parallel to shore. In these situations it is not unusual for trap nets to capture more Walleye than gill nets however, with a robust population we would still expect to see more fish overall.
Read the full DNR narrative
Northern Pike were sampled at a rate of 2.2 fish per gill net. This is lower than average for similar lakes but typical relative to historical surveys. Fish size was relatively large with a mean length of 24.5 inches and a maximum size of 30 inches.
Channel Catfish were sampled by gill nets at a rate of 2 fish per net. This is the highest catch in the history of the lake and likely indicates a targetable population for anglers. Fish were of a desirable size ranging from 17.3 to 20.5 inches in length.
Black Crappie were sampled at a lower than average rate by trap nets of 2.2 fish per net but a higher than average rate in gill nets of 8.4 fish per net. Size was similar in both gears with a mean length of 7.7 inches in the larger gill net sample. The largest fish sampled was 8.9 inches long.
Trap nets sampled Bluegills at a rate of 7.1 fish per net. This is low relative to similar lakes but only one survey in the lakes history has exceeded the average of similar lakes. Fish size was also low with a mean length of only 4.6 inches and a maximum of 7.8 inches.
Other fish species sampled included: Black Bullhead, Common Carp, Freshwater Drum, Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Buffalo, White Sucker, and Yellow Bullhead.
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
- East Moore Lake · 28 ac · 2 mi
- Silver Lake · 71 ac · 2.4 mi
- Spring Lake · 32 ac · 2.6 mi
- Johanna Lake · 212 ac · 2.8 mi
- Turtle Lake · 450 ac · 3.5 mi
- Island Lake · 59 ac · 3.6 mi
- Snail Lake · 158 ac · 3.7 mi
- Josephine Lake · 116 ac · 3.7 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 30 ft at its deepest point; about 64% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 173 acres with about 3.9 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 5.4 ft of visibility, middling clarity for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2021) record walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike, muskellunge, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, tiger muskellunge, channel catfish.
Is Long Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked white bass and yellow perch 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 24"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 1993.
When was Long Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Long Lake in 2021, the most recent of 11 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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