Best longnose gar lakes in Minnesota
15 Minnesota waters hold longnose gar, 9 mapped with real state-agency depth surveys. Ranked below by size and depth-data quality — open any water to see exactly where to fish it: depth contours, scored spots with plain-English reasons, seasonal windows and bait picks. Prehistoric surface predator of warm backwaters. A summer sight-fishing riot on rope lures.
- St. Croix River — 78 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #1: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 7 public access sites
- St. Croix River — 15 ft max · Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Channel Catfish, MuskellungeWhy #2: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · 8 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Middle Jefferson — 5 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #3: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Mazaska — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #4: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites
- German — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #5: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- West Jefferson — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #6: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 3 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- Ten Mile — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern PikeWhy #7: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Stalker — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #8: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Winona (North Bay) — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White BassWhy #9: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 2 public access sites, 1 carry-in or shore-oriented
- East Jefferson — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern PikeWhy #10: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Long — 88 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #11: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Barrett — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #12: survey-backed contours receive the ranking's data-quality boost · 1 public access site
- Long — 24 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #13: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- German — 46 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #14: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
- Rose — 37 ft max · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, CrappieWhy #15: mapped size signal; contours are approximated · no verified access record attached
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How to use this ranking
The order is a map-planning ranking, not a claim about today's fish population. It favors larger mapped waters and gives survey-backed contours a three-times data-quality boost. Agency population surveys, current regulations, access and recent conditions should make the final decision.
Compare maximum depth across 37,233 lake records · See Minnesota waters with public access data
When to fish longnose gar in Minnesota
- Spring 2–10 ft — Fish gather in warm shallow backwaters ahead of the spawn.
- Summer 1–12 ft — Look for fish rolling on the surface in slack water — cast past and drag through.
- Fall 4–15 ft — Following bait into deeper slack water as temps fall.
- Winter 10–25 ft — Wintering in deep, still holes.
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