Fishing Little Long Lake in Clare County, Michigan

• Overview

  Little Long Lake is set in Clare County, Michigan. It sits at 1,102 feet above sea level. Roughly 55 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. With about 1.5 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Start from Harrison, 0.9 miles down the road. Clare follows at 14 miles, then Gladwin at 15 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Little Long Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Clare County include bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon and northern pike. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. On Little Long Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July near 68°F and January near 18°F on the long-run figures. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about early December in an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Little Long Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. There is a car park, Little Long Lake Boat Launch, half a mile from the bank. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, McWatty Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Little Long Lake.