Long Lost Lake
Clearwater County, Minnesota - DNR stocking history, depth and survey data
Minnesota · Minnesota Department of Natural Resources (DNR) · DOW 15006800
DNR records show 9 stocking entries at Long Lost Lake since 2016, most recently walleye fry in 2025 (275,000 fish).
- Long Lost Lake has 9 DNR stocking records across 9 years (2016-2025): walleye (9).
- The most-stocked species by count is walleye: 2,462,550 fish on record.
- Maximum depth 63 ft, mean depth 12 ft; surface area 539 acres, 275 littoral acres, 14.3 miles of shoreline, per the DNR lake survey.
- Average water clarity (Secchi depth) 19.1 ft.
- Fish species DNR lists here: black crappie, bluegill, brown bullhead, hybrid sunfish, largemouth bass, northern pike, pumpkinseed, smallmouth bass, walleye, white sucker, yellow perch.
- 2 public accesses on the DNR list.
- Most recent DNR fish survey: (standard survey).
- Clearwater County, nearest town Zerkel; DNR lake number (DOW) 15006800.
Depth map
Bathymetric contours from the Minnesota DNR lake survey mapped 8/3/1972 (orig map); depths in feet. Simplified for the web; not for navigation.
Stocking history
| Year | Species | Size | Number | Pounds |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 2025 | Walleye | fry | 275,000 | 2.4 |
| 2024 | Walleye | fry | 275,000 | 2.4 |
| 2023 | Walleye | fry | 275,000 | 2.2 |
| 2022 | Walleye | fry | 275,000 | 2.4 |
| 2021 | Walleye | fry | 276,000 | 2.4 |
| 2019 | Walleye | fry | 275,000 | 2.2 |
| 2018 | Walleye | fry | 260,000 | 2.3 |
| 2017 | Walleye | fry | 275,400 | 2.2 |
| 2016 | Walleye | fry | 276,150 | 2.3 |
Field note · Minnesota stocks by year, not by truck day: walleye fry go in within weeks of ice-out, fingerlings and yearlings mostly in fall, and stream trout in spring and fall. A row here means the fish went in during that year; DNR adds the year's rows after the fact, so the current year can look empty until winter.
Public accesses
| Type | Owner | Where |
|---|---|---|
| O | Minnesota DNR | Public access on the east side of the lake in section 18 is flooded but boat landing is available off the road. Parking is limited. |
| O | Minnesota DNR | Public access on the south end of the lake is under water and is closed to the public until the lake level recedes. |
DNR fish survey, 2024
| Species | Gear | Catch per net | Total catch | Avg lb |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bluegill | Standard gill nets | 22.67 | 204 | 0.10 |
| Northern pike | Standard gill nets | 11.44 | 103 | 1.79 |
| Yellow perch | Standard gill nets | 5.33 | 48 | 0.10 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard gill nets | 4.67 | 42 | 0.10 |
| Black crappie | Standard gill nets | 3.33 | 30 | 0.37 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard gill nets | 2.44 | 22 | 1.24 |
| Walleye | Standard gill nets | 2.11 | 19 | 3.47 |
| Brown bullhead | Standard gill nets | 1.11 | 10 | 0.96 |
| Bluegill | Standard trap nets | 17.00 | 153 | 0.11 |
| Largemouth bass | Standard trap nets | 1.00 | 9 | 0.65 |
| Pumpkinseed | Standard trap nets | 1.00 | 9 | 0.12 |
| Northern pike | Standard trap nets | 0.56 | 5 | 1.75 |
| Black crappie | Standard trap nets | 0.56 | 5 | 0.33 |
| Walleye | Standard trap nets | 0.22 | 2 | 7.28 |
| Yellow perch | Standard trap nets | 0.11 | 1 | 0.42 |
Catch per net (CPUE) is the DNR survey's count per gill net or trap net set; higher means more of that species were sampled, not a fishing forecast. Top species per gear shown; where we have no verified common name for a DNR code, the code itself is shown.
Long Lost Lake is a 501-acre lake with a maximum depth of 63 feet located 8 miles south of the town of Zerkel in southern Clearwater County. Lake levels rose considerably since the early 1990s but have receded several feet in recent years, although the lake is still higher than historic levels. This has resulted in extensive stands of flooded timber around the lakeshore. There are two DNR public water accesses located on the lake. The public access located on the south shore of the lake was previously flooded and remains unusable. The public access located on the east shore of the lake at the end of Seaberg Lane off of County Road 39 was also flooded. This ramp has remained usable, and boat launching is possible with parking available for 3 or 4 vehicles/trailers. Long Lost Lake is managed for Bluegill, Largemouth and Smallmouth Bass, Black Crappie, Northern Pike and Walleye. The lake is stocked annually with Walleye fry. Bluegill and Black Crappie are abundant in Long Lost Lake although trap net catch rates for both species were lower in the two most recent surveys (2017 and 2024) as compared to earlier population assessments (2000 through 2010). This may be related to the recent drop in water levels, which changed shoreline habitats where these nets are set. Gill nets on the other hand, showed good catch rates for both Bluegill and Black Crappie. Gill nets were set offshore in deeper water and captured quality-sized fish of both species, with Bluegill up to 8.5 inches in length and Black Crappie up to 11.7 inches in length. A good representation of smaller fish in the catch shows that reproduction has been consistent for both species in recent years. The flooded shorelines around the lake resulted in not only excellent habitat for panfish species but also benefits to Largemouth and Smallmouth bass. Interestingly, Long Lost is one of just a few lakes in the Bemidji area that holds Smallmouth Bass. Largemouth lengths ranged from 5.8 to 16.1 inches with an average of 12.3 inches while smallmouth lengths ranged from 12.0 to 17.2 inches with an average of 15.5 inches. Northern Pike numbers have been gradually increasing in Long Lost Lake over time, and the 2024 catch rate of 11 fish/gill net was well above the normal range found in similar lakes. Average size was on the small side at 20.3 inches, although some larger pike are present. The largest pike captured in the 2024 survey measured 32.3 inches in length, but only 12% of the pike catch was greater than 24 inches in length. The 2024 Walleye catch rate of 2.1 fish/gill net was below the median catch…
Minnesota DNR survey narrative, .
All Minnesota stockings · every Minnesota lake with a page · state CSV · this lake on DNR LakeFinder
Stocking rows, depths, accesses and survey figures are Minnesota DNR LakeFinder data as of 2026-09-02; contours are the DNR bathymetric survey. Regulations, slot limits and special rules are on the DNR page linked above, not here.
Hear when the states we cover post stockings
One email a week in season: which waters in the states we cover were stocked, straight from the state agencies' own postings. No spam, no fishing-gear ads in the mail.
Free · double opt-in · unsubscribe anytime · we store only your email.