Long Tom

Long Tom Lake is a 133-acre reservoir located three miles east and two miles north of Ortonville in Big Stone County. The lake is primarily managed for walleyes. A fishing pier and boat launch are located on the north side of the lake. A winterkill occurred during the winter of 2018-2019 even though an aeration system was being used. Poor success with aeration had also occurred during previous winters and therefore it was discontinued as a management tool at Long Tom Lake. Low water, drought, early ice and a thick snowpack resulted in low oxygen and winterkill in Long Tom Lake during the winter of 2022-2023. Almost no measurable oxygen was present by mid February of 2023. Thousands of dead fish were observed during ice-out. Walleye fry were stocked during spring and black crappie and yellow perch will be stocked when available. This standard survey revealed that although the winterkill was severe, it wasn't complete. Standard sampling using a gill net and trap nets captured black bullheads and common carp during spring. Small mesh trap nets were used to assess natural reproduction in late summer. The catch primarily consisted of fathead minnows, black bullheads and common carp, however two young-of-year walleyes were also caught. The fishery will require some time to recover from the winterkill and good fishing will likely be at least two years into the future.

Long Tom is a 133-acre reservoir located three miles east and two miles north of Ortonville in Big Stone County. The lake is primarily managed for Walleyes and Yellow Perch. A fishing pier and boat launch are located on the north side of the lake. A winterkill occurred during the winter of 2018-2019 even though an aeration system was being used. Poor success with aeration had also occurred during previous winters and therefore it will no longer be used as a management tool at Long Tom Lake. Long Tom Lake was restocked with Walleyes and Yellow Perch following the winterkill. Winter dissolved oxygen levels have remained adequate since then. This 2020 Targeted Survey was conducted to collect fish population data using gill nets and small-mesh trap nets. These data can be compared to historical Standard and Targeted survey data from Long Tom Lake. Walleyes were abundant from 10-14 inches, with fish up to 18 inches caught. These Walleyes resulted from stocking fry, yearlings and adults in 2019-20. Although 1,500 Yellow Perch adults were stocked in 2019, low numbers were caught in this survey. Most perch were less than nine inches. Young-of-year Yellow Perch were caught in trap nets, indicating that some natural reproduction had occurred. Black Bullheads, Common Carp, Fathead Minnows and White Suckers were caught in moderate to high numbers. Fisheries management activities will include additional game fish stocking as needed, annual monitoring of winter dissolved oxygen and fish surveys.

Long Tom Lake is located three miles east and two miles north of Ortonville in Big Stone County. Near record amounts of snow fell in the area during the winter of 2018-2019. The aerators on Long Tom Lake were started on January 4, 2019. By mid-January, dissolved oxygen was less than 1 ppm in most of the water column and it continued to drop in subsequent measurements. Winterkill was suspected. Hundreds of dead fish were observed at ice-out on Long Tom and North Long Tom lakes. Common Carp were most abundant; Black Crappies and Black Bullheads were also present. The most recent fish assessment in 2017 indicated quality Walleye, Yellow Perch and Black Crappie populations. On 4/16/19, one standard lake survey gill net was set to determine the presence of gamefish and stocking needs. The catch included 199 Black Bullheads, four White Suckers and one Walleye. The Walleye had very likely migrated downstream during spring from Thielke Lake, which did not winterkill. A substantial winterkill of gamefish had likely occurred. Walleye and Yellow Perch were stocked into Long Tom in 2019. The last substantial winterkill occurred the in 2012-13, which was followed with stockings of Black Crappies, Northern Pike, Walleyes, and Yellow Perch.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Walleye, Northern Pike, Black Crappie, Yellow Perch, and Bluegill in Long Tom. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

Minnesota DNR records list public access for Long Tom. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for the launch type and directions before you go.

Long Tom has a maximum depth of 15 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Long Tom is from 2020.

No invasive species are on record for Long Tom in Minnesota DNR data. Always clean, drain, and dry your equipment to help keep it that way.