Fishing Long Lake in Pine County, Minnesota

• Overview

  You will find Long Lake in Pine County, Minnesota. It stands 1,024 feet above sea level. With some 76 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The whole outline is near 2.5 miles, and most of it is walkable. It ranks high for size among our Pine County listings. The nearest town is Sandstone, 11 miles away. For a city, Minneapolis is 92 miles off. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Pine County include northern pike, bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie and pumpkinseed. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Work Long Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 68°F, with January the cold end at about 8°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Break-up sits around mid April on average, with the water closing again about late November. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. It holds true on Long Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Little Mud Lake is 0.3 miles distant. None of that is settled for Long Lake in what we hold.