Fishing Long Lake in Columbia County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Long Lake lies within the bounds of Columbia County, Wisconsin. The surface lies 801 feet up. It measures about 119 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Wisconsin listings. For supplies, Portage is 2.5 miles out. The nearest city of size is Madison, 30 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Columbia County include brown trout, common carp, rainbow trout and largemouth bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Long Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 16°F in January and 71°F in July. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to early December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Long Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. A protected area covers this ground, which usually means restrictions on access. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Lake Columbia is 2.7 miles off. Treat Long Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.