Long Lake
Long Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 155.28 acres.
- Clarity
- 16.7 ft
- Max depth
- 72 ft
- Area
- 155 acres
- Type
- Oligotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
Next lake in Itasca County
Long Lake is a 155-acre cold, clear oligotrophic lake in Itasca County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 72 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2020. The lake supports 10 documented fish species including black crappie, bluegill, and hybrid sunfish. Public access is available with 3 public boat landings. Compared to the 71 other monitored lakes in Itasca County, Long Lake ranks #1 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2020-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLimited data
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature and a current cyanobacteria reading for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 16.7 ft down. Phosphorus level: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.9 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 38.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 16.7 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 8.5 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.9 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 38 | Oligotrophic |
Low nutrients, clear water, excellent for swimming
Where to stay near Long Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near 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.
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Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 72 ft |
| Surface Area | 155 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 4.6 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 15% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Recreation & Access
- Long LakePublic
- Gunderson LakePublic
- Big Too Much LakePublic
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing Long Lake
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
4 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2024-07-29 (Standard Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | 16.36 | 0.14 lb |
| Tullibee (Cisco) | 16.02 | 0.42 lb |
| Northern Pike | 3.08 | 1.81 lb |
| Black Crappie | 3.07 | 0.34 lb |
| Pumpkinseed | 1.10 | 0.1 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 0.99 | 0.48 lb |
CPUE = catch per unit effort, averaged across surveys (excludes juvenile shoreline seining). Higher CPUE = more abundant in standardized sampling.
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
Tullibee (Cisco)
Northern Pike
Black Crappie
From the 2024-07-29 survey
Long Lake is located five miles north of Talmoon, MN in the Chippewa National Forest and the Big Fork River watershed. Long Lake is in ecological lake class 28. Other area lakes in this class include Arrowhead, Batson and Little Too Much Lakes. There is a concrete ramp boat access at the southeast end of the lake.…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for Long Lake. 3 reports on file.
These links open on the official state DNR websites (Wisconsin DNR survey PDFs · Minnesota DNR LakeFinder).
- —Fisheries Lake Survey — LongFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — Long (0689)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — LongPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
County Ranking
Ranked #1 of 72 lakes in Itasca County
Nearby Lakes in Itasca County
Frequently asked questions about Long Lake
What is the water quality grade for Long Lake?
- Long Lake in Itasca County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 16.7 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 8.5 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.9 µg/L. Maximum depth: 72 ft. Surface area: 155.28 acres.
Is Long Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. Long Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.9 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is Long Lake?
- Long Lake has a maximum depth of 72 feet. The lake covers 155.28 acres.
What fish are in Long Lake?
- Fish species found in Long Lake include black crappie, bluegill, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, tullibee (cisco), yellow bullhead, yellow perch. Long Lake is located in Itasca County, Minnesota.
Are there boat ramps on Long Lake?
- Long Lake has 3 documented boat landings in the USGS National Boat Ramps inventory. Named access points include Long Lake, Gunderson Lake, Big Too Much Lake. Public access is listed as yes.
Explore Long Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
15 measurements from 1 monitoring station, 2020. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA15 samples · 2020
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination
Monitoring station identifiers (1)
Grade thresholds from the EPA National Lakes Assessment (EPA 841-R-24-006, Table 6-3), applied by ecoregion. See how grades are calculated 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