Long Lake in Nevada County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Long Lake is a Nevada County water, California side. Around the bank it is open valley. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Nevada County are larger. The nearest town is Nevada City, 24 miles away. For a city, Reno is 43 miles off. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Nevada County include brook trout, rainbow trout and tahoe sucker. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Fish Long Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 63°F at the top of summer and 33°F at the bottom of winter. Fishing continues through most of the calendar, with quiet spells rather than closures. Cover comes and goes, so treat it with suspicion rather than trust. March through May is the strongest run, with October and November a second stretch. Long Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Round Lake at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Long Lake.