Long Lake Fishing Guide, Morrison County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Morrison County in Minnesota is where Long Lake sits. The country round it is pine and birch from end to end. The water covers some 209 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The shoreline runs about 3.6 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. It is among the larger waters listed here for Morrison County. Supplies mean a trip to Staples, 12 miles off. Long Prairie is 17 miles and East Gull Lake 22 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Morrison County include largemouth bass, bluegill, northern pike, black crappie and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Long Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 69°F and January near 8°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Long Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Cranberry Lake, 0.8 miles away. Check the position on Long Lake before loading the car.