Little Long Lake
Itasca County, Minnesota305 acresView mapDirections
Minnesota PCA publishes the water-quality measurements for Little Long Lake. Here is what has been measured.
- 61 ft max depth
- Public access
- Limited data
Little Long Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 61 ft. Surface area: 304.55 acres.
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 29, 2015 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Little Long Lake. DNR survey details →
Little Long Lake is a 305-acre lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 61 feet. Overall water quality is declining over recent sampling years. The lake supports 11 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 1 public boat landing.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-10-07. Methodology: how these readings are compared.
Little Long Lake covers about 300 acres in Itasca County. It has one public boat landing. The median ice-out date is April 25, which is when the open-water season begins. For a place on the water, look through cabin and lake-house rentals near Little Long Lake on Vrbo. For a hotel or motel room, Booking.com and Expedia both search around the lake.
What Little Long Lake is good for
From access and monitoring records, not editorial picks.
- Clear water17 ft of visibility
- Boat launch1 documented ramp
- Fishing11 species recorded
- Ice seasonIce-out around Apr 25
- Deep water61 ft surveyed max depth
Swimming conditions
No readingLimited data
Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
Whether Little Long Lake is safe to swim in today is a call for the Minnesota Pollution Control Agency and the Minnesota DNR and the county health department, who post current advisories. LakeQuality does not issue swimming clearances.
Water quality measurements for Little Long Lake
These are the measurements Minnesota PCA publishes for Little Long Lake, shown as reported. The condition class beside each reading is the EPA National Lakes Assessment class for this lake’s ecoregion.
Crystal clear, you can see 17 ft down. TSI 36.
| Measure | Reading | Where it sits |
|---|---|---|
| Water clarity (Secchi depth) | 17ft | Measured, not scored How deep a black-and-white disk stays visible from the surface. Higher is clearer. |
| Total phosphorus | No reading The nutrient that most limits algae growth in freshwater. More phosphorus, more algae potential. | |
| Chlorophyll-a (algae) | No reading The green pigment in algae — a direct measure of how much algae is in the water. | |
| Trophic state (TSI)Carlson's 0–100 index of how much algae a lake can support, from clarity, phosphorus and chlorophyll-a. | 36 | Oligotrophic OligotrophicMesotrophicEutrophicHypereutrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water. No reading is a swimming clearance.
Ask about Little Long Lake
Answers come straight from the public measurements and survey records on this page.
Water Temperature
Little Long Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October. Summer average is about 73°F. Usually warmest in Jul (about 76°F) and coldest in Oct (about 60°F). These are typical values by month — not a live reading.
Column height runs from this lake’s coldest month (60°F) to its warmest (76°F).
Typical surface water temperature by month, from 35 field readings (2022–2025) via the EPA Water Quality Portal. See the full Little Long Lake water temperature breakdown →
Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 29, 2015 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Little Long Lake.
A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Long Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
5 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2015-06-29 (Standard Survey).
5 surveys on file · most recent 2015-06-29 (Standard Survey)
| Species | Catch rate (CPUE) | Size | Avg weight |
|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 10.74 | 3–8 in 2015-06-29 | 0.17 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 6.51 | 8–18 in 2015-06-29 | 1.35 lb |
| Northern Pike | 5.25 | 15–30 in 2015-06-29 | 1.83 lb |
| Yellow Perch | 4.62 | 5–9 in 2015-06-29 | 0.15 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 2.83 | 3–8 in 2015-06-29 | 0.22 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, fish caught per net per set in a standardised survey. It measures abundance, not size, and is not a weekly bite report.
Length Distributions
Number of fish caught at each inch class in the most recent survey that recorded lengths. Red dashed line marks an approximate trophy threshold for that species.
Bluegill
Largemouth Bass
Northern Pike
Yellow Perch
From the 2015-06-29 survey
Little Long Lake is a 253 acre bass-panfish lake located 16 miles north of Grand Rapids in the Mississippi River watershed. Water quality appears good with clarity in excess of 15 feet. Much of the shoreline is undeveloped and in a natural state. A diverse aquatic plant community provides good habitat for Northern…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Little Long Lake. 4 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — Little LongFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Long (0814)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Little Long (2045)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — Little LongPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Lake Details
Max depth
61 ft
Surface area
305 acres
Shoreline
7.4 mi
Littoral zone
51%
Share shallower than 15 ft
Public access
Yes
Listed by Minnesota PCA
Lake Size & Watershed
Watershed (drainage) area
10 sq mi
HydroLAKES / HydroSHEDS
Elevation
1,371 ft
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Little Long LakePublic
Named access points in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory, within about 3 miles. More lakes with boat ramps
Stays via Stay22
Stays near Little Long Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near Little Long Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota — live availability and prices for your trip. Switch the map to Satellite to see the lake and how close each stay is to the water.
Top-rated places to stay near Little Long Lake
Prices for Oct 9–11, 4 adults. Change dates on the map below.
Availability and prices from Stay22 partners (Booking.com, Vrbo, Expedia). We may earn a commission from bookings, at no extra cost to you.
Planning a whole trip? See where to stay at Minnesota’s top lakes →
Follow Little Long Lake’s readings
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Fish Species
Click a species to see every lake where it is documented.
Fishing Little Long Lake
- → Little Long Lake fishing: DNR survey catch rates, species & stocking
- → Little Long Lake fishing forecast & best times (species outlook + 14-day solunar calendar)
- → Little Long Lake fishing regulations (limits, seasons, special rules)
- → Is it safe to eat fish from Little Long Lake? (mercury & PFAS guide)
Water Quality Trend: Worsening
Based on 6 years of monitoring (2020–2025).
Water clarity
Worsening6 years
Ice season
Typical ice-out
Apr 25
Earliest Apr 21, 2003 · Latest May 1, 2022
Typical ice-in
Nov 18
Earliest Nov 13, 2017 · Latest Nov 28, 2023
Most recent ice-out
May 1
2022
7 observations · Minnesota PCA ice records
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Little Long Lake
Where is Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake is a lake in Itasca County, Minnesota. Its water-quality measurements are published by Minnesota PCA and shown on this page as reported.
What is the water quality of Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has water-quality measurements published by Minnesota PCA, shown here as reported. Water clarity: 17 ft visibility. Maximum depth: 61 ft. Surface area: 304.55 acres.
Is Little Long Lake safe to swim in?
- Nutrient and algae readings are not a swimming clearance. Check local advisories before you swim.
What is the water temperature of Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake typically sits around 60°F at the surface in October, from 35 EPA Water Quality Portal field readings (2022–2025). That is a typical value for the month, not a live reading.
How deep is Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake has a maximum depth of 61 feet. The lake covers 304.55 acres.
What fish are in Little Long Lake?
- Fish species found in Little Long Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch. Little Long Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
What did the DNR fisheries survey find at Little Long Lake?
- Minnesota DNR's Standard Survey on June 29, 2015 caught 0.17 walleye per gill net at Little Long Lake. A DNR fisheries survey reports fish abundance and catch rates, not water quality. LakeQuality shows Little Long Lake’s water-quality measurements separately, and the water-quality trend over 6 years of monitoring is declining. Catch rate is not a swim clearance and is not a weekly bite report.
When does Little Long Lake thaw?
- Little Long Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 25. Ice typically forms around Nov 18. The open water season is approximately 207 days.
Are there boat ramps on Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Little Long Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Can I fish at Little Long Lake?
- Little Long Lake has 1 documented boat landing in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Seasons, size and bag limits, and whether you need a license are set by Minnesota's fish and wildlife agency, so check its current regulations before you go.
Explore Little Long Lake across LakeQuality
Depth, room, public access, and the state wake-sport rules
Fish species and the cleanest lakes across Minnesota
Fish species and best lakes in Itasca County
Species activity outlook by water temperature and season
Where to stay at Minnesota's top lakes, each with its readings
Lakes in the Mississippi Headwaters, ranked by water quality
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Minnesota's cleanest lakes, ranked on agency measurements
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Where this data comes from
43 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA43 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
EPA condition classes from the National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See where the data comes from and data sources.
Other records on this page
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Named boat-access points from the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate