Long Lake Fishing guide

DNR survey data

Fish species

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.

Size history

Biggest fish by survey year

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:

Northern pike · Soft plastics

Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead

4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead

3–25 ftmoderate

Shop paddletail swimbaits →

Northern pike · Muskie & pike

Soft Rubber (Bull Dawg / Medusa)

10" soft rubber body bait

3–25 ftslow

Shop musky rubber →

Walleye · Live bait

Live-Bait (Lindy) Rig + Leech/Crawler

jumbo leech or half a nightcrawler

8–35 ftslow

Shop octopus hooks →

Walleye · Trolling

Leadcore Line + Crankbaits

4–5" mid-diving crankbait behind a long leadcore run

15–45 fttrolling

Shop deep-diving crankbaits →

Largemouth bass · Soft plastics

Texas-Rigged Worm

7" ribbon-tail or straight-tail plastic worm

1–25 ftdead slow

Shop plastic worms →

Largemouth bass · Soft plastics

Free Rig

Creature bait or magnum finesse worm

8–30 ftdead slowweedless

Shop creature baits →

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 2025 survey

Long (Higgin's) Lake (DOW# 77-0149-00; Lake Class 31) is a 230-acre lake located 7 miles northeast of Sauk Centre. The lake has a maximum depth of 36 feet (average = 17 feet) and has visibility around 13-14 feet. Long Lake has numerous submerged trees that provide good angling opportunities. Spring trap netting was conducted as part of a targeted survey to evaluate the size structure of Bluegill during June 3-6, 2025. This sampling helps to determine if the population has changed following the implementation of a 10-fish bag limit on March 1, 2016. Long-term data have indicated an improvement in Bluegill size structure following the regulation change. As a result, a 5-fish bag limit was implemented for 2026 with the intention of further improvement. Spring trap netting has been used to survey the panfish population on Long Lake since 2002 and will continue to be used to monitor long-term trends.

Bluegill size structure goals for the Quality Sunfish Initiative include the persistent presence of fish at least 10 inches in length and at least 50% over 7 inches, 20% over 8 inches, and 5% over 9 inches. Other criteria used to measure the success of the reduced bag limit include mean size, catch rate of fish over 8 inches, and mean length of the top 10%. A total of 432 Bluegill were captured during 2025 and ranged in size from 2.8-10.3 inches (average = 6.7 inches). Bluegill that measured 10 inches or greater were present and have been consistently captured during surveys since 2018. The current survey showed that 47% of fish were over 7 inches, 26% were over 8 inches, and 6% were over 9 inches. The average length of the top 10% and the catch rate of fish over 8 inches have both increased over the years. Long Lake has shown a notable improvement in Bluegill size structure following the regulation change. Anglers can expect to catch plenty of fish over 7 inches and the opportunity to capture fish over 10 inches. The number of fish between 4-6 inches has slightly increased more recently, which is likely due to consistent recruitment over the last two years. This is not of concern as long as growth rates remain strong. No aging data were collected during 2025, but age analysis from 2017 provided evidence of excellent growth. The lake management plan goal for Bluegill outside of the Quality Sunfish Initiative included maintaining at least 40% of the catch over 7 inches, 10% of the catch over 8 inches, and 3% of the catch over 9 inches; this goal was achieved during 2025.

Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.

Public water access

Getting on the water

• DNR access: STATE OWNED ACCESS ON NW END OF LAKE.

DNR bathymetry

Long Lake depth map

Within 30 miles

Nearby lakes

• Sauk Lake · 2,126 ac · 2.7 mi
• Cedar Lake · 139 ac · 4.3 mi
• Fuller Lake · 52 ac · 4.5 mi
• Little Birch Lake · 839 ac · 4.5 mi
• Hennessy Lake · 52 ac · 4.5 mi
• Lily Lake · 66 ac · 4.7 mi
• Fairy Lake · 307 ac · 4.8 mi
• Long Lake · 107 ac · 4.8 mi

Quick answers

Frequently asked questions

How deep is Long Lake?

Long Lake reaches 36 ft at its deepest point with a mean depth of 17 ft; about 28% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).

How big is Long Lake?

Long Lake covers 230 acres with about 5.3 miles of shoreline.

How clear is the water in Long Lake?

DNR Secchi readings on Long Lake average 14.5 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.

What fish are in Long Lake?

Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth 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: DNR access (STATE OWNED ACCESS ON NW END OF LAKE.).

How big do northern pike get in Long Lake?

The biggest northern pike measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2014.

When was Long Lake last surveyed?

The Minnesota DNR last surveyed Long Lake in 2025, the most recent of 17 surveys on record.