Long Lake Fishing Guide, Washtenaw County, Michigan

• Overview

  Long Lake sits in Washtenaw County, out in Michigan. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. At about 53 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. Around 1.2 miles of margin, front to back. Nearest town is Chelsea, 3 miles off. Then Dexter, 8.9 miles, and Stockbridge, 9.2 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Open biodiversity records for Washtenaw County list bluegill, largemouth bass, rock bass and black crappie. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Anyone new to Long Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 22°F and July at about 71°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The lid usually goes in late March, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The season between ice runs from about late March to mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Time your trip to Long Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. There is a mapped landing stage 90 yards away. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Mirror Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm before you fish Long Lake.