North Long Lake
North Long Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 97 ft. Surface area: 6190.33 acres.
- Clarity
- 15.1 ft
- Max depth
- 97 ft
- Area
- 6,190 acres
- Type
- Mesotrophic
- Public access
- Yes
- Ice-out
- Apr 18
- Open water
- 220 days
Next lake in Crow Wing County
Free interactive depth-contour map of North Long Lake, reaching a maximum surveyed depth of 90 ft. Toggle Depth contours to overlay the bathymetric survey lines. Contour data from Minnesota DNR.
North Long Lake is a 6,190-acre mesotrophic lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota with a maximum depth of 97 feet. Water quality is graded A based on 2 sampling years through 2025. The lake supports 18 documented fish species including black bullhead, black crappie, and bluegill. Public access is available. Compared to the 84 other monitored lakes in Crow Wing County, North Long Lake ranks #4 for water quality.
Source: EPA Water Quality Portal sampling records, Minnesota DNR LakeFinder, last sampled 2025-09-29. Grade methodology: LakeGrade methodology.
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Swimming Safety
Grade onlyLow algae
Based on clarity and algae grades from past sampling — we do not hold live water temperature for this lake. Check your state or county health department before you swim.
Elevated cyanobacteria detected — see the algae advisory
Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae
Water Quality Grade: A (Excellent)
Crystal clear, you can see 15.1 ft down. Phosphorus level: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a: 2.7 µg/L. Trophic State Index: 40.
| Metric | Value | Grade |
|---|---|---|
| Water Clarity (Secchi Depth) | 15.1 ft | Not graded |
| Phosphorus | 14 µg/L | Good |
| Chlorophyll-a (Algae) | 2.7 µg/L | Good |
| Trophic State Index (TSI) | 40 | Mesotrophic |
Moderate nutrients, good water quality
Where to stay near North Long Lake
Compare lakeside cabins, hotels, and vacation rentals near North Long Lake in Crow Wing 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 North Long Lake
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Blue-Green Algae (Cyanobacteria)
A significant bloom was detected. Avoid swimming and keep children and dogs out of the water — blue-green algae can produce toxins.
EPA CyAN satellite reading from August 8, 2026 (falling) · 16 weekly estimates shown (237 on record). Satellite estimates cover only open water and can miss shoreline scums — always check your state’s current advisory before entering. EPA CyAN ↗
Lake Details
| Characteristic | Value |
|---|---|
| Maximum Depth | 97 ft |
| Surface Area | 6,190 acres |
| Shoreline Length | 20.1 mi |
| Littoral Zone | 63% |
| Public Access | Yes |
Lake Size & Watershed
Size, shoreline, and watershed area from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS).
Fish Species
Click a species to see every graded lake where it is documented.
Fishing North Long Lake
Invasive & Introduced Species
Red chips are ecologically harmful invasive species. Gray chips are stocked or introduced fish that aren't a current ecological concern.
DNR Fisheries Survey Summary
27 surveys on file from MN DNR Fisheries. Most recent: 2025-09-11 (Targeted Survey).
Top Species by Catch Rate
| Species | Avg CPUE | Avg Weight |
|---|---|---|
| Spottail Shiner | 44.97 | — |
| Bluntnose Minnow | 38.26 | — |
| Bluegill | 30.71 | 0.16 lb |
| Walleye | 15.01 | 1.51 lb |
| Largemouth Bass | 13.13 | 0.78 lb |
| BNS | 13.02 | — |
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
Walleye
Largemouth Bass
From the 2025-09-11 survey
North Long Lake is stocked annually with 3.9 million Walleye fry. Fingerling stocking is done on a contingency basis as needed or as surplus when fish are available and was last done in 2024. Night electrofishing was conducted on September 11th, 2025, to monitor the abundance of young-of-the-year (YOY) Walleyes. Total…
DNR Reports & Resources
Minnesota DNR LakeFinder publishes lake survey, fish stocking, water access, and aquatic plant data for North 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 — North LongFisheries Lake Survey · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Aquatic Plant Report — North Long (0444)Aquatic Plant Report · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Fish Stocking History — North LongFish Stocking History · MN DNR LakeFinder
- —Public Water Access Sites — North LongPublic Water Access Sites · MN DNR LakeFinder
Ice Season
Historical ice data from Minnesota DNR (84 observations).
Estimated open water season: 220 days
| Earliest | Latest | |
|---|---|---|
| Ice-Out | 2010-04-01 (2010) | 2013-05-13 (2013) |
| Ice-In | 1959-11-09 (1959) | 2001-12-24 (2001) |
Most recent ice-out: 2025-04-14
EPA Impairment Status
North Long Lake is officially listed as impaired under Clean Water Act §303(d) in the 2024 EPA reporting cycle (IR category 4A).
Causes of impairment
A Total Maximum Daily Load (TMDL) plan has been approved.
Source: EPA ATTAINS assessment unit MN18-0372-00 · Official waterbody report
County Ranking
Ranked #4 of 85 lakes in Crow Wing County
Nearby Lakes in Crow Wing County
Frequently asked questions about North Long Lake
What is the water quality grade for North Long Lake?
- North Long Lake in Crow Wing County, Minnesota has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Water clarity: 15.1 ft visibility. Phosphorus: 14 µg/L. Chlorophyll-a (algae): 2.7 µg/L. Maximum depth: 97 ft. Surface area: 6190.33 acres.
Is North Long Lake safe to swim in?
- Excellent for swimming, crystal clear water with minimal algae. North Long Lake has a water quality grade of A (Excellent). Algae concentration (chlorophyll-a) is 2.7 µg/L. Always check local health department advisories before swimming.
How deep is North Long Lake?
- North Long Lake has a maximum depth of 97 feet. The lake covers 6190.33 acres.
What fish are in North Long Lake?
- Fish species found in North Long Lake include black bullhead, black crappie, bluegill, bowfin (dogfish), brown bullhead, common carp, green sunfish, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, rock bass, smallmouth bass, tullibee (cisco), walleye, white sucker, yellow bullhead, yellow perch. North Long Lake is located in Crow Wing County, Minnesota.
When does North Long Lake thaw?
- North Long Lake typically has ice-out around Apr 18. Ice typically forms around Nov 24. The open water season is approximately 220 days.
Does North Long Lake have blue-green algae?
- EPA CyAN satellite data last estimated North Long Lake's cyanobacteria density at 409,261 cells/mL (high bloom risk). Satellite estimates cover open water and can miss shoreline scums, so always check Minnesota's current advisory before entering.
Explore North Long Lake across LakeGrade
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Where this data comes from
267 measurements from 6 monitoring stations, 2020–2025. Retrieved from the EPA Water Quality Portal on 2026-08-02.
Collected and reported by
- Minnesota Pollution Control Agency - Ambient Surface Water
MNPCA267 samples · 2020–2025
Analytical methods
- Field measurement/observation, generic method
- Phosphorus by Two Reagent Colorimetry
- 10200 H 2 ~ Chlorophyll a-b-c Determination by spectrophotometer
Monitoring station identifiers (6)
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
Impairment status from EPA ATTAINS 303(d) database
Lake size & watershed from HydroLAKES (HydroSHEDS)
Lake details from Minnesota DNR LakeFinder
Ice data from Minnesota DNR Climate