Long Lake Fishing near L'Anse, Michigan

• Overview

  Long Lake lies within the bounds of Baraga County, Michigan. The land about it is rolling bush. Surface area is around 42 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Shoreline comes to about 1.6 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Compared with other Michigan water on our list, it sits high. Start from L'Anse, 14 miles down the road. Further out sit Baraga (17 miles) and West Ishpeming (27 miles). The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Baraga County include yellow perch, pink salmon and white sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Long Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 63°F and January near 10°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That shapes the year on Long Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Failing this one, try Van Lake, 1 mile away. Ask locally about Long Lake if anything is unclear.