Long Lake Fishing in Otter Tail County, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Long Lake in Otter Tail County, Minnesota. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. The water covers around 734 acres, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. Shoreline length is close to 6.6 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. It ranks high for size among our Otter Tail County listings. For supplies, Pelican Rapids is 9.8 miles out. Fargo is the closest city, 47 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Published depth figures reach 83 feet at the lowest point. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. County-wide records name largemouth bass, black crappie and walleye. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Long Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 69°F for July and 6°F for January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Long Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Lake Jewett is 1.3 miles distant. Treat Long Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.