Fishing Lower Long Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Lower Long Lake lies in Crow Wing County, Minnesota. The surface lies 1,178 feet up. At some 1,277 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Shoreline length is close to 8.7 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. Size puts it in the front rank of our Crow Wing County list. Brainerd sits 7.7 miles from the bank. For a city, Minneapolis is 98 miles off. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lower Long Lake

  The charted maximum sits at about 54 feet. Look for where the old bank line still shows under the surface. Held water runs deepest at the wall and shallows back to the inflow. County-wide records name largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, northern pike and pumpkinseed. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Work Lower Long Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 69°F and January about 8°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Expect Lower Long Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Mapping records no facilities at all near this water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Russell Lake at 2.4 miles is the sensible second choice. For Lower Long Lake in particular, ask before you travel.