Long Lake

How big is Long Lake?

How deep is Long Lake?

What kind of fish can you catch in Long Lake?

What are the closest cities to Long Lake?

Are there boat launches on Long Lake?

Are there places to eat and drink near Long Lake?

Long Lake is a shallow, 579-acre prairie lake located approximately two miles southwest of Cyrus in west-central Minnesota. Maximum depth is 12.0 feet. Wind-driven suspension of sediments and subsequent algal blooms can significantly reduce water clarity through summer months. In response to seasonally poor water quality, diversity and density of submerged plants is limited. Sight- feeding predators such as northern pike and largemouth bass struggle to maintain a population. Numbers of bass and northern pike are very low. Open water species such as walleye and black crappie are better able to tolerate turbid water and very limited vegetated habitat. Even these valued gamefishes are subject to catastrophic losses from occasional summer and winterkill events. Partial winterkills were documented in 2001 and 2004.

Walleye fry are stocked at an alternate year frequency. Survey statistics describe a quality walleye fishery. Gillnet catches during the 2011 survey were lower than 2006 catches, but still within the range of expected catch rates for similar lakes. Age distribution of 2011 captures correlated well with stocking chronology. Growth of young fish is excellent. Age-2 walleye averaged 17.0 inches in length at the time of the August survey. Mean size was 18.9 inches and 2.4 pounds. Twenty-two percent of walleye captured during the 2011 survey exceeded 20.0 inches in length.

Stocking of adult black crappie in 2002 was successful in establishing a self-sustaining fishery. Black crappie catches during the 2011 survey exceeded expected catch rates for similar lakes. Most captures were young fish. Average length of crappie captured was 8.0 inches. Crappie grow quickly and the many three-year-old crappie in the population should exceed 10.0 inches in length in 2012. The largest black crappie measured 13.2 inches.

Yellow perch have prospered in response to lower walleye densities and absence of severe winterkill events since 2004. Long Lake is one of few lakes in the Glenwood Management Area that have perch large enough to stimulate angler interest and harvest. Signs of harvest may have been evident in the length distribution of the 2011 population sample. Twenty percent of yellow perch captured during the 2006 survey exceeded 12.0 inches in length. No 12.0-inch or larger yellow perch were measured in 2011. Only a few exceeded 10.0 inches, but there were many perch approaching 10.0 inches.

Bluegills depend on aquatic vegetation for feeding and escape cover. There are also not very tolerant of low dissolved oxygen concentrations, thus few if any were captured in early surveys. In probable response to improved habitat conditions a modest population expansion was documented during the 2011 survey. Four age groups were represented in the population sample. Due to fast growth, approximately 14% of captures exceeded 10.0 inches in length. The largest fish measured 11.4 inches. In absence of significant environmental disturbances such as loss of water clarity or winterkill events, this population may finally be able to support quality fishing opportunities if harvest is not excessive.


Fishery Update...........................

A black crappie die-off was documented on August 29, 2011. Approximately 1,000 dead crappie were observed. These fish ranged from 5.0 to 11.0 inches in length. An ice-out population assessment will be completed in 2012 to determine severity of the summerkill event.

Are there any state parks near Long Lake?