Fishing Long Lake in Day County, South Dakota

• Overview

  Long Lake sits within Day County in South Dakota. The country here is pine and birch. The water covers around 3.2 sq miles, which puts most of it out of reach from the bank. The bank runs about 16 miles in total, split between open shore and sheltered corners. Webster sits 13 miles from here and is the nearest stop. For a city, Sioux Falls is 121 miles off. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Day County include common carp, black bullhead, green sunfish, Iowa darter and bluegill. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Long Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 10°F in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about late November in an average year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Plan around that when you fish Long Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Horseshoe Lake is 2.8 miles distant. Confirm before you fish Long Lake.