Fishing Long Lake in Saint Louis County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Long Lake lies in Saint Louis County, Minnesota. It stands 1,217 feet above sea level. It measures some 466 acres, and wind has room to build across it. The perimeter runs near 6.9 miles, so plan the walk before you start. Few waters listed in Saint Louis County are bigger. The closest town, International Falls, is 38 miles distant. The nearest city of size is Thunder Bay, 160 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Saint Louis County include yellow perch, northern pike, white sucker and rainbow trout. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Long Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 65°F and January near 4°F on the long-run figures. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That shapes the year on Long Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Bluebird Lake at 1.2 miles is the nearest alternative. For Long Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.