Fishing Long Lake in Washington County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Long Lake lies in Washington County, in Minnesota. The ground around here is pine and birch. Surface area is around 65 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 1.5 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Minnesota listings. 4.6 miles away sits Scandia, the nearest town. Beyond it, Hugo at 7.8 miles and Grant at 8.1 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Washington County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, brown trout, northern pike and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Long Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 11°F in January to roughly 71°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near late November. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Long Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Staples Lake, 0.9 miles away. Check the position at Long Lake before loading the car.