Fishing at Long Lake Number Two, Cass County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Cass County in Minnesota is where Long Lake Number Two sits. The surface lies 1,329 feet up. With some 238 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. At about 4.2 miles of edge, most people work one arm at a time. On our Cass County list it sits near the top for size. You are 19 miles from Crosslake. Fargo is the closest city, 115 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake Number Two

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. 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. County-wide records name largemouth bass, yellow perch, bluegill and walleye. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Long Lake Number Two repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 6°F and July at about 68°F, the water has a wide range to work through. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Break-up comes around mid April, and the run that follows is short and strong. From about mid April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. That is the shape of the year on Long Lake Number Two.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. For a change of water, Mud Portage Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Rules at Long Lake Number Two are worth checking on the day.