Lower Long Lake Fishing near Sylvan Lake, Michigan

• Overview

  Lower Long Lake lies within the bounds of Oakland County, Michigan. This is mixed forest country. At about 190 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The whole outline is near 3.1 miles, and most of it is walkable. On our Oakland County list it sits near the top for size. Start from Sylvan Lake, 2.4 miles down the road. Then Bloomfield Hills, 2.5 miles, and Keego Harbor, 2.9 miles. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Lower Long Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show 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. Reported across Oakland County: bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Lower Long Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 72°F at the top of summer and 23°F at the bottom of winter. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count the season from break-up, usually late March. Climate averages put the opening at about late March and the closing near mid December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Lower Long Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. You can launch: the ramp is half a mile away. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. E.L. Johnson Nature Center takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Island Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Lower Long Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.