Minnesota · St. Louis County
Long Lake Fishing guide
Long Lake is a 374-acre lake in St. Louis County, Minnesota, reaching 14 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 2.4 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 3 times, most recently in 2016, with walleye, largemouth bass, northern pike and bluegill in the nets. That survey is 10 years old now.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeFair numbers1.2per gill net22"Typical24"Biggest
Lengths measured · 16 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 16 fish
2016Lengths measured · 46 fish
2008Lengths measured · 69 fish
1995Northern pikeJust a few3.1per gill net18"Typical37"Biggest
Lengths measured · 40 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 40 fish
2016Lengths measured · 28 fish
2008Lengths measured · 41 fish
1995BluegillJust a few3.6per trap net7"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 32 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 32 fish
2016Lengths measured · 19 fish
2008Lengths measured · 16 fish
1995CrappieFair numbers16.4per trap net4"Typical11"Biggest
Lengths measured · 260 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 260 fish
2016Lengths measured · 163 fish
2008Lengths measured · 58 fish
1995Yellow perchFair numbers2.4per gill net5"Typical8"Biggest
Lengths measured · 30 fish
Recent · 2016Lengths measured · 30 fish
2016Lengths measured · 50 fish
2008Lengths measured · 59 fish
1995Rates 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 2.4 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 14-ft bowl cools fast, so the fall window comes early here.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. In 2.4 ft of visibility, they sit shallower than you think.
- 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 100% 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. A 14-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 | Largemouth bass | Northern pike |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2016 | 24" | 15" | 37" |
| 2008 | 22" | 13" | 28" |
| 1995 | 27" | 6" | 25" |
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
Largemouth bass · Hardbaits
Hollow-Body Frog
3–3.5" hollow-body frog
Largemouth bass · Soft plastics
Texas-Rigged Worm
7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm
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
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 2016 survey
A standard survey was conducted on Long Lake during the summer of 2016 to update information about fish populations. Walleye and Black Crappie are the primary management species for Long Lake.
Walleye are self-sustaining and have not been stocked into Long Lake since 1991. Walleye abundance of 1.2 per gillnet lift was below average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Walleye average length was large at 20.1 inches. Recruitment is inconsistent with only five year-classes present from 1995 through 2014.
Black Crappie population density was above average compared to other similar Minnesota lakes. Black Crappie average length was 5.7 inches but less than 12% exceeded eight inches. Black Crappie angling should improve in subsequent years with a strong 2015 year-class evident. Bluegill population density was average compared to other similar Minnesota lakes. Bluegill averaged 6.3 inches with some quality fish available up to 8.4 inches.
Northern Pike abundance of 3.1 per gillnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Average length was small at 17.8 inches but one large specimen exceeding 37 inches was captured in the trapnets.
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
- County access: Back-in access located directly off County Road 108 on the northeast corner of the lake.
DNR bathymetry
Long Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Mud Hen Lake · 161 ac · 3.9 mi
- Coe Lake · 54 ac · 4.5 mi
- Elliot Lake · 373 ac · 5.7 mi
- Loon Lake · 271 ac · 6 mi
- Dinham Lake · 202 ac · 6.9 mi
- Wilson Lake · 56 ac · 7.1 mi
- Schubert Lake · 212 ac · 7.3 mi
- Cameron Lake · 168 ac · 7.4 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is Long Lake?
Long Lake reaches 14 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 6 ft; about 100% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is Long Lake?
Long Lake covers 374 acres with about 6.6 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 2.4 ft of visibility, on the stained end for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2016) 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: County access (Back-in access located directly off County Road 108 on the northeast corner of the lake.).
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 1995.
When was Long Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Long Lake in 2016, the most recent of 3 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