longnose gar Lakes in Minnesota & Wisconsin

Other SpeciesFound in 17 lakes

longnose gar is a rough-fish species — typically common in productive, nutrient-rich lakes, sometimes treated as a management nuisance by anglers targeting game-fish. 17 lakes carry documentation. longnose gar is narrowly distributed — only 17 Minnesota lakes and 0 Wisconsin lakes have a documented record. The constraint is usually habitat: cold water, specific depth profile, or river connection.

Rough-fish-dominant lakes are worth checking the grade on: a rough-fish-heavy fishery often reflects an underlying nutrient-loading problem in the watershed. Cross-reference the longnose gar lake list below against the LakeGrade rubric: lakes with both an A or B grade and longnose gar documented are the best places to start for recreational targeting.

Total Lakes

Minnesota

Wisconsin

Avg. Grade

66 ft

Avg. Depth

Water Quality of longnose gar Lakes

12%

47%

29%

Best longnose gar Lakes by Water Quality

Top 50 lakes with longnose gar ranked by overall water quality grade.

Rank	Lake	County	State	Grade	Depth	Species
1	Unnamed Lake	Otter Tail	MN	A	95 ft	17
2	Ten Mile Lake	Otter Tail	MN	B	51 ft	19
3	Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	B	78 ft	36
4	Stalker Lake	Otter Tail	MN	C	95 ft	17
5	St. Croix Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
6	St. Croix 1.5 Mi. Upstream of Point Douglas Dr Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
7	Pool of Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
8	Pool on Lake St. Croix Downstream of I94 Bridge	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
9	Pool on Lake St. Croix	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
10	St. Croix 3.5 Mi. Downstream of E Chestnut St Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
11	St. Croix 0.3 Mi. Downstream of I Lake	Washington	MN	C	78 ft	36
12	Barrett Lake	Grant	MN	D	28 ft	23
13	Mazaska Lake	Rice	MN	D	50 ft	17
14	Lake Jefferson	Le Sueur	MN	D	37 ft	18
15	Winona Lake	Winona	MN	D	38 ft	24
16	German Lake	Le Sueur	MN	D	51 ft	19
17	Pepin Lake	Pepin	MN	F	60 ft	47

Frequently Asked Questions

How many lakes have longnose gar?

longnose gar are found in 17 lakes across Minnesota and Wisconsin, 17 in Minnesota and 0 in Wisconsin. The average water quality grade of lakes with longnose gar is C (Fair).

What are the best lakes for longnose gar?

The best longnose gar lakes by water quality are Unnamed Lake, Ten Mile Lake, Lake St. Croix, Stalker Lake, St. Croix Lake. These lakes have the highest water quality grades among all lakes where longnose gar have been documented by state DNR surveys.

What other fish are found with longnose gar?

longnose gar are most commonly found alongside black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, largemouth bass, northern pike. These species share similar habitat preferences in the region's lakes.

Source: EPA National Aquatic Resource Surveys, 2026.