Long Lake near Ladysmith: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Rusk County, Wisconsin, is where Long Lake sits. Elevation runs to 1,079 feet. The whole thing is a single swim; walk it in a minute. It is a small entry by Rusk County standards. Some 7.3 miles away sits Ladysmith, the nearest settlement. The nearest city of size is Saint Paul, 97 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Rusk County cover rainbow trout, brown trout, bluegill, largemouth bass and black crappie. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. At Long Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 68°F and January near 10°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. The season on Long Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is no recorded infrastructure here; expect to find your own way in. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Boot Lake at 4.2 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Long Lake may have changed since it was mapped.