Fishing at Long Lake, Griggs County, North Dakota

• Overview

  Long Lake is a Griggs County water, in North Dakota. The water sits 1,430 feet up. It runs to roughly 64 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The bank runs about 1.5 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. The closest town, Larimore, is 39 miles away. For a city, Fargo is 85 miles off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Records held for Griggs County cover bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and northern pike. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Long Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 5°F to 69°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid November. 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

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. The nearest alternative is Lake Jessie, 1 mile out. For Long Lake in particular, ask before you travel.