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

• Overview

  Look for Long Lake in the Clare County part of Michigan. It sits at 1,142 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 208 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. On our Clare County list it sits near the top for size. Start from Harrison, 5.2 miles down the road. The big place round here is Grand Rapids, 90 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Clare County include bluegill, largemouth bass and pink salmon. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Treat Long Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 68°F and January near 18°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Average temperatures cross freezing around early April in spring and again near early December in autumn. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That shapes the year on Long Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Failing this one, try Bluegill Lake, 0.9 miles away. Signs at Long Lake carry more weight than any list.