Minnesota · Crow Wing County
North Long Lake Fishing guide
North Long Lake is a 6,190-acre lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota, reaching 97 ft at its deepest point. Secchi readings average around 12.1 ft of visibility. The Minnesota DNR has surveyed the lake 27 times, most recently in 2025, with walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass and northern pike in the nets.
DNR survey data
Fish species
WalleyeLast stocked 2025Fair numbers3.8per gill net16"Typical27"Biggest
Lengths measured · 126 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 17 fish
2025Lengths measured · 14 fish
2024Lengths measured · 53 fish
2024Lengths measured · 37 fish
2023Largemouth bassFair numbers36.7per hr (electrofishing)12"Typical18"Biggest
Lengths measured · 152 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 133 fish
2024Lengths measured · 19 fish
2021Lengths measured · 42 fish
2018Lengths measured · 20 fish
2015Northern pikeFair numbers6.3per gill net21"Typical35"Biggest
Lengths measured · 188 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 103 fish
2024Lengths measured · 85 fish
2021Lengths measured · 72 fish
2018Lengths measured · 145 fish
2015BluegillJust a few8.9per trap net5"Typical9"Biggest
Lengths measured · 294 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 241 fish
2024Lengths measured · 53 fish
2021Lengths measured · 360 fish
2018Lengths measured · 99 fish
2015CrappieJust a few0.3per trap net8"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 65 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 46 fish
2024Lengths measured · 19 fish
2021Lengths measured · 35 fish
2018Lengths measured · 23 fish
2015Yellow perchFair numbers2.3per gill net6"Typical10"Biggest
Lengths measured · 69 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 37 fish
2024Lengths measured · 32 fish
2021Lengths measured · 63 fish
2018Lengths measured · 84 fish
2015Rock bassExcellent numbers3.7per gill net9"Typical12"Biggest
Lengths measured · 125 fish
Recent · 2021 + 2024Lengths measured · 65 fish
2024Lengths measured · 60 fish
2021Lengths measured · 46 fish
2018Lengths measured · 72 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 North Long Lake through the year
Walleye
- Spring
- Walleye are shallow, on and just off the spawning flats and the first green weeds. At 12.1 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 97 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.
Largemouth bass
- Spring
- Largemouth are moving up into the warming bays and flats, staging around wood, docks and new weeds to spawn. At 12.1 ft of clarity, fish them deeper and lighter than usual.
- 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. On a lake that drops to 97 ft, check the deep edge of that structure too.
- 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 |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | 25" | — | — |
| 2024 | 27" | 18" | 35" |
| 2023 | 25" | — | — |
| 2022 | 26" | — | — |
| 2021 | 25" | 15" | 34" |
| 2020 | 21" | — | — |
| 2019 | 22" | — | — |
| 2018 | 25" | 16" | 32" |
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 · 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
Northern pike · Soft plastics
Paddletail Swimbait on Jighead
4–5" paddletail swimbait on a ball-head swimbait jighead
Northern pike · Jigs & bladed
Inline Spinner (Mepps/Blue Fox)
#2–#4 in-line spinner
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 | 3,900,000 fry |
| 2024 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry · 57,450 fingerlings |
| 2023 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry |
| 2022 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry · 36,032 fingerlings · 595 yearlings |
| 2021 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry |
| 2019 | Walleye | 5,500,000 fry |
| 2018 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry |
| 2017 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry |
| 2016 | Walleye | 3,900,000 fry |
MN DNR · in their words
From the 2025 survey
North Long Lake is stocked annually with 3.9 million Walleye fry. Fingerling stocking is done on a contingency basis as needed or as surplus when fish are available and was last done in 2024. Night electrofishing was conducted on September 11th, 2025, to monitor the abundance of young-of-the-year (YOY) Walleyes. Total sample time was 2 hours and 10 minutes, which resulted in a YOY Walleye catch rate of 1.4 per hour. This was the first time since 2018 that YOY Walleye were sampled. They ranged in size from 5.4 to 6.4 inches, with a mean length of 6.0 inches. Previous catches ranged from 0 to 53.3 per hour. Age 1 and older Walleyes were captured at a rate of 6.5 per hour. They ranged in length from 7.5 to 25.8 inches and had a mean length of 12.4 inches.
Narrative text from the Minnesota DNR lake survey.
Recent reports
North Long Lake fishing reports
Recent reports on North 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.
Open the live map → Fished it lately? Write a report
All North Long Lake fishing reports → · Crow Wing County reports
Public water access
Getting on the water
- North Long Lake (NW) (trailer launch)
- North Long Lake (S) (trailer launch)
- North Long Lake, Merrifield (trailer launch)
DNR bathymetry
North Long Lake depth map
Within 30 miles
Nearby lakes
- Round Lake · 1,650 ac · 2.4 mi
- Little Hubert Lake · 194 ac · 2.5 mi
- Gladstone Lake · 437 ac · 2.6 mi
- Hubert Lake · 1,301 ac · 3.5 mi
- Love Lake · 79 ac · 3.8 mi
- Gilbert Lake · 357 ac · 4.4 mi
- Red Sand Lake · 521 ac · 5.1 mi
- Clark Lake · 305 ac · 5.2 mi
Quick answers
Frequently asked questions
How deep is North Long Lake?
North Long Lake reaches 97 ft at its deepest point; about 63% of the lake is littoral (15 ft or shallower).
How big is North Long Lake?
North Long Lake covers 6,190 acres with about 20.1 miles of shoreline.
How clear is the water in North Long Lake?
DNR Secchi readings on North Long Lake average 12.1 ft of visibility, clear water for a Minnesota lake.
What fish are in North Long Lake?
Minnesota DNR surveys (most recently 2025) record walleye, largemouth bass, smallmouth bass, northern pike, bluegill, crappie, yellow perch, rock bass.
Is North Long Lake stocked?
Yes. The DNR stocked walleye in 2025; the stocking table on this page lists every year back to 2016.
Does North Long Lake have a public access?
Yes. North Long Lake has 3 public access sites, including North Long Lake (NW) (trailer launch).
How big do walleye get in North Long Lake?
The biggest walleye measured in recent DNR surveys taped 27"; the size-history table on this page tracks the biggest fish in each survey back to 2018.
When was North Long Lake last surveyed?
The Minnesota DNR last surveyed North Long Lake in 2025, the most recent of 27 surveys on record.
Page updated .
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