Water · Brainerd lakes area
North Long Lake
A wide, honest Crow Wing lake by Merrifield. Big enough to pack a jacket and a second personality.
Usual suspects: Walleye, Northern pike, Bass, Crappie, Panfish
North Long sits by Merrifield, a little north of Brainerd, and it feels like its own zip code. People talk about the bays the way they talk about cousins — fondly, and with directions that only work if you already know.
Walleye, pike, bass, and a respectable panfish conversation, including crappie. Short page only. No secret GPS pin. If a real report shows up, it lives in Reports.
What’s happening
- 2026-09-23 · Highway 371 corridor near North Long Lake; details via northlong.org / board contacts — North Long Lake Association — Fall Highway 371 Litter Pickup. The North Long crew is out bagging roadside treasures so the lake’s front door looks like somebody cares. Not a tournament — just neighbors doing the unglamorous stuff that keeps a lake feeling loved. Open the day · Source