Long

Long is a 209 acre lake with 88 (42%) acres of littoral area and a maximum depth of 51 feet. The lake is located seven miles east of Cotton, MN off the Munger-Shaw Road (#15) and has no designated public access. Primary management species from the 1994 Lake Management Plan were northern pike and secondary management species were bluegill and largemouth bass. Largemouth bass were sampled by electrofishing in the spring of 2003. Largemouth bass abundance of 96.7 per hour of electrofishing was above average compared to other lakes in the Duluth area. Mean length was 13.0 inches. Growth was slow with length at age four of 9.6 inches. Age analysis revealed strong 1994 and 1998 year-classes and all year-classes from 1991 through 1999 represented. Northern pike abundance of 13.7 per gillnet lift was above average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length was 21.1 inches. Growth was slow with length at age four of 18.8 inches. Age analysis revealed strong 1998 and 1999 year-classes and all year-classes from 1993 through 2002 represented. Yellow perch abundance of 10.5 per gillnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length was 6.4 inches. Walleye abundance of 1.2 per gillnet lift was below average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length of seven sampled walleye was 23.3 inches. Growth was slow with length at age four of 13.6 inches. Six of seven aged walleye were older than age eight. Bluegill abundance of 12.0 per trapnet lift was average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length was 6.3 inches. Growth was slow with length at age four of 3.4 inches. Age analysis revealed strong 1995 and 1998 year-classes and all year-classes from 1993 through 1998 represented. Black crappie abundance of 0.6 per trapnet lift was below average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length was 8.1 inches. Growth was average with length at age four of 7.1 inches. Age analysis revealed a strong 1999 year-class and four year-classes represented from 1994 through 2001. Yellow bullhead abundance of 28.0 per gillnet lift was above average compared to other Minnesota lakes of similar type. Mean length of yellow bullhead was 8.3 inches. Other fish species sampled include green sunfish, pumpkinseed sunfish and white sucker.

Northern pike in Long Lake are very abundant (15.8 per gillnet) with an average length of 22.3 inches and occasional pike over 30 inches. Bluegill also are very abundant (18.3 per trapnet), however, they tend to be small (average length of 5.3 inches) with only a very few fish over 7.0 inches. Yellow bullheads are numerous, yet the trend shows a definite decline in abundance. Although not sampled in this assessment, largemouth bass are present. Black crappie, yellow perch and pumpkinseed, with an infrequent walleye, round out the fishery in this bass/panfish lake.

The northern pike and largemouth bass populations are above average abundance for the state. Several large northerns are present. Significant northern pike reproduction is occuring. The panfish, while above average in abundance, have missing younger year classes. Pumpkinseed age groups I-V and bluegill I, II, III and V are absent. Growth rate is very slow. No young of the year panfish were caught seining. Seventy-nine percent of the bluegill catch was age VII. The decline of perch, and increase of northern pike and yellow bullhead since 1960 is apparent in the summary chart attached.

Based on Minnesota DNR survey data, anglers target Largemouth Bass, Green Sunfish, Northern Pike, Black Crappie, and Walleye in Long. See the full species list above for catch rates, size structure, and quality scores.

We don't have a confirmed public access point on record for Long. Check the DNR LakeFinder page for current access details before you go.

Long has a maximum depth of 51 feet and a mean depth of 16 feet, per Minnesota DNR data.

The most recent Minnesota DNR survey data for the main sport fish in Long is from 2003. Surveys this old should be treated with some caution — fish populations change over time.

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