Big Long Lake Fishing near Wolcottville, Indiana

• Overview

  LaGrange County, Indiana, is where Big Long Lake sits. It lies 945 feet above sea level. About 392 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. There is roughly 4.9 miles of bank, more than one visit can cover properly. It is among the larger waters listed here for LaGrange County. Nearest place of any size is Wolcottville, 7.1 miles away. The big place round here is Fort Wayne, 30 miles distant. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Big Long Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Survey and observation records for LaGrange County include bluegill, rainbow darter and johnny darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Big Long Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 72°F, with January the cold end at about 22°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Look for the thaw near late March; the fishing lifts straight after. The water is typically free of ice between late March and mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Big Long Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Mud Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Where Big Long Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.