Long Lake Fishing near Vineland, Minnesota

• Overview

  Long Lake is set in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. The land about it is rolling bush. With some 84 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. About 1.9 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. The closest town, Vineland, is 8.9 miles away. After that come Crosby at 16 miles and Brainerd at 17 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Crow Wing County records list largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and northern pike among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Long Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 69°F at the top of summer and 8°F at the bottom of winter. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. That is the shape of the year on Long Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Camp Lake, 1.4 miles away. For Long Lake in particular, ask before you travel.