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Best longnose gar lakes in Minnesota

9 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.

1. Ten Mile — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike
2. Stalker — 90 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
3. Middle Jefferson — 5 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
4. East Jefferson — 35 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
5. Mazaska — 45 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
6. German — 50 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
7. West Jefferson — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass, Northern Pike
8. Barrett — 25 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Walleye, Northern Pike, Crappie
9. Winona (North Bay) — 20 ft max · survey depth data · Largemouth Bass, Smallmouth Bass, Walleye, White Bass

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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.

Also in Minnesota: best largemouth bass lakes · best smallmouth bass lakes · best walleye lakes · best white bass lakes · best sauger lakes · best northern pike lakes · best crappie lakes · best bluegill lakes · best channel catfish lakes · best rainbow trout lakes · best muskellunge lakes · best yellow perch lakes · best flathead catfish lakes · best freshwater drum lakes · best common carp lakes · best lake trout lakes · best brown trout lakes · best brook trout lakes · best lake whitefish lakes · best burbot lakes · best rock bass lakes · best cisco (lake herring) lakes · best splake lakes · best pumpkinseed lakes · best brown bullhead lakes · best lake sturgeon lakes

Longnose Gar elsewhere: Ontario · Québec · Indiana · Wisconsin · Texas · Kentucky · Tennessee · Missouri