Long Lake Fishing near Lake Orion, Michigan

• Overview

  Long Lake lies in Oakland County, in Michigan. Elevation runs to 968 feet. Around 108 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. Around 2.4 miles of margin, front to back. On our Oakland County list it sits near the top for size. Lake Orion lies 0.6 miles from the water. It is 18 miles to Sterling Heights, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Long Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 70°F; by January the average is down near 22°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough early April. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near mid December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Long Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. The nearest marina is Orion Marine, some half a mile out. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Bunny Run Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Long Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.