Lake depth chart
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324-acre lake near St. Louis County. The lake tops out around 45 ft. These contours are modeled — built from the real shoreline and the water's maximum depth — so read them as a guide, never as navigation. The season-by-season read for each species follows, from the map's own numbers.
Traced from the shoreline, Little Long runs 324 acres with 6.1 miles of edge. A development index of 2.4 means a maze of bays and points: far more casting targets than a round bowl of the same size. 78% of the surface is littoral (under ~15 ft), per the model — cover, weeds and forage water. Call it 2.4 mi long by 0.5 mi wide at the broadest reach. The water lies in St. Louis County. For a second option, Little Dry lies 1 mi northeast.
Early season cisco (lake herring) use the shallows, holding in 10 to 40 ft. Expect a summer slide to 14 to 45 ft, then a winter hold in 14 to 45 ft. Put Deep basin first on the milk run — a deep basin near 38 ft that grades prime for spring. In summer the feeding windows fall in early morning. Tie on a vertical flutter spoon (small) or a drop-shot micro plastic and you're in the game.
Depth note: when a documented seasonal range extends below this chart, the table shows the deepest mapped working water, not a verified holding depth.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 10 to 40 ft | dawn & dusk | Deep basin (38 ft) | Small silver spoon, Tiny swim jig (white) |
| Summer | 14 to 45 ft chart-limited; documented 40 to 80 ft | dawn | Deep basin (38 ft) | Vertical flutter spoon (small), Drop-shot micro plastic |
| Fall | 5 to 25 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Small casting spoon, Inline spinner (silver) |
| Winter | 14 to 45 ft chart-limited; documented 20 to 60 ft | dawn | Deep basin (38 ft) | Small jigging spoon (glow/silver), Tungsten jig + minnow head |
Come spring, look for walleye tight to the bank in 4 to 15 ft. They move out to 15 to 35 ft in summer and finish the year down in 20 to 40 ft. If you only fish one area, make it Break off the point: a drop-off around 20 ft that scores prime in fall. Best bite is the evening and early morning. A crawler harness on bottom bouncer or a deep crankbait (trolled) is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 4 to 15 ft | dusk & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | 1/8 oz jig + minnow, Hair jig |
| Summer | 15 to 35 ft | dusk & dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Crawler harness on bottom bouncer, Deep crankbait (trolled) |
| Fall | 12 to 40 ft | dusk & night | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging rap, Jig + big minnow |
| Winter | 20 to 40 ft | dusk & dawn | Deep basin (38 ft) | Jigging spoon + minnow head, Rattle bait |
Come spring, look for yellow perch tight to the bank in 3 to 12 ft. Expect a summer slide to 10 to 30 ft, then a winter hold in 15 to 35 ft. Start at Shallow bay flat. It's a weed flat holding about 5 ft of water and rates prime come spring. Prime time lands in early morning. A drop-shot micro plastics or a small spoon tipped with worm is the honest summer answer here.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Small jig + curly tail, Perch-pattern micro crank |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop-shot micro plastics, Small spoon tipped with worm |
| Fall | 12 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Jigging spoon (small), Perch rig / spreader |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday & dawn | Deep basin (38 ft) | Tungsten jig + spikes, Rattle spoon (small) |
Start shallow in spring: northern pike sit in 2 to 8 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 8 to 20 ft, and winter fish settle into 5 to 15 ft. The spot to know is Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in about 5 ft of water that rates prime for northern pike in spring. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a bucktail or a weedless spoon over cabbage until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 8 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | #5 inline spinner, Spoon (red/white) |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Bucktail, Weedless spoon over cabbage |
| Fall | 6 to 18 ft | midday & dawn | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Big rubber (Bull Dawg style), Husky-style jerkbait |
| Winter | 5 to 15 ft | midday | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Tip-ups, Large jigging spoon |
Start shallow in spring: smallmouth bass sit in 3 to 12 ft that time of year. Summer pushes them deeper, 10 to 30 ft, and winter fish settle into 20 to 45 ft. The spot to know is Main-lake point, a point in about 11 ft of water that rates prime for smallmouth bass in fall. Warm-month bites cluster around early morning and the evening. Throw a drop shot (goby/minnow) or a ned rig until the fish tell you otherwise.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 3 to 12 ft | dawn & dusk | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Ned rig, Tube jig |
| Summer | 10 to 30 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Drop shot (goby/minnow), Ned rig |
| Fall | 8 to 25 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Jerkbait, Blade bait |
| Winter | 20 to 45 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Hair jig |
The spring pattern is a shallow one: largemouth bass in 2 to 10 ft. As the season builds they drop to 8 to 20 ft, wintering in 15 to 35 ft. Top water on the chart: Shallow bay flat, a weed flat in the 5 ft range, prime in spring. Time it for early morning and the evening. Summer baits: a texas-rigged 10" worm or a deep-diving crankbait gets it done.
| Season | Depth | Best window | Start at | Go-to baits |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Spring | 2 to 10 ft | dawn & dusk | Shallow bay flat (5 ft) | Spinnerbait, Chatterbait |
| Summer | 8 to 20 ft | dawn & dusk | Break off the point (20 ft) | Texas-rigged 10" worm, Deep-diving crankbait |
| Fall | 4 to 15 ft | midday & dawn | Main-lake point (11 ft) | Squarebill crankbait (shad), Spinnerbait |
| Winter | 15 to 35 ft | midday | Break off the point (20 ft) | Blade bait, Jigging spoon |
Little Long also holds rock bass (5 to 20 ft in summer), crappie (10 to 25 ft in summer), bluegill (4 to 15 ft in summer). Pick any of them on the map above for rated spots and bait picks.
Count 6 structure marks on this chart. The deepest, Deep basin, sits near 38 ft.
Access data: OpenStreetMap contributors (ODbL) — community-mapped launches. Confirm conditions and fees locally before you launch.
Season dates, license requirements, and size and bag limits for Minnesota waters are set by the Minnesota DNR — and special regulations can apply to Little Long specifically, so confirm the current rules before you fish.
Check the official Minnesota fishing regulations →
Little Long is about 45 ft (14 m) deep at its deepest point. The contours here are modeled from the water's real shape and maximum depth, so treat them as a rough guide.
Anglers target cisco (lake herring), walleye, yellow perch, northern pike, smallmouth bass, largemouth bass, rock bass, crappie, bluegill on Little Long.
Deep basin is the top-rated area: a deep basin in about 38 ft of water that rates prime for cisco (lake herring) in spring. Scroll up to the map for the complete spot list by species and season.
For cisco (lake herring), the summer bite is best in early morning. Each species page section below lists the seasonal windows, and the map shows a live NOW badge when you're inside one.
Fishing on Little Long is regulated by the Minnesota DNR. Check the official Minnesota regulations for current license requirements, season dates, and size and bag limits — special regulations can apply to this specific water.
Little Dry 1 mi · Minister 1 mi · Dry 2 mi · Shagawa 2 mi · Bass 2 mi · High 3 mi · Miner's Pit 3 mi · East Twin 3 mi · West Twin 3 mi · Everett 3 mi · Shipman Bass 3 mi · Little Sletten 3 mi
See how Little Long stacks up: best largemouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best smallmouth bass lakes in Minnesota · best walleye lakes in Minnesota · best northern pike lakes in Minnesota
More water nearby: St. Louis County fishing maps (429 charts). Browse all Minnesota fishing maps. See every water on DepthScout. How we build these maps. Fish here with a sonar unit that logs? Send us your depth data and we'll improve this chart, credited to you. For fishing guidance only, never navigation.