Fishing Long Tom Lake in Big Stone County, Minnesota

• Overview

  Long Tom Lake sits within Big Stone County in Minnesota. It sits in rolling bush country. With some 135 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. About 2.8 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. The nearest place of any size is Ortonville, 4.3 miles away. Milbank is 15 miles and Appleton 19 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Long Tom Lake

  Depth records show about 14 feet at the bottom of the basin. 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. Public occurrence data for Big Stone County names common carp, yellow perch, walleye, black bullhead and orangespotted sunfish. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Anyone new to Long Tom Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 72°F and January at 11°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about late November in an average year. Spring is short and heavy here; autumn is longer and steadier. Plan around that when you fish Long Tom Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. There is a slipway on the shore, half a mile from the water we list. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. For the pike, wire up and throw larger lures along the weed edges. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Munnwyler Lake sits 1.4 miles off and takes the overflow. For Long Tom Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.