Fishing Long Lake in Polk County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Long Lake is a Polk County water, Wisconsin side. The water sits 1,184 feet up. It measures about 46 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 1.8 miles keeps the choices simple. The town to know is Luck, 5.5 miles out. Saint Paul is the closest city, 57 miles away. Close by you have: Johnson Lake 0.7 miles, Dahl Lake at 1.6 miles, Depot Lake 2.2 miles, Big Lake at 2.4 miles and Little Ward Lake 2.4 miles. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. 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. Across Polk County, recorded fish include brown trout, rainbow trout, northern pike and largemouth bass. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. The shape of Long Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 69°F and January near 10°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Plan any trip to Long Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Straight River Preserve takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Johnson Lake, 0.7 miles out. What applies at Long Lake may have changed since it was mapped.