Fishing at Long Lake, Mahnomen County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Long Lake lies within the bounds of Mahnomen County, Minnesota. The country here is mixed forest. Surface area is around 39 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Roughly 1.5 miles of bank means you can walk to a fresh area when one goes quiet. Mahnomen lies 13 miles from the water. The big place round here is Fargo, 61 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. County-wide records name rainbow trout, white sucker, northern pike and bluegill. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Treat Long Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 4°F in January to roughly 68°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. The season on Long Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Island Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position at Long Lake before loading the car.