Long Lake Fishing in Vilas County, Wisconsin

• Overview

  Long Lake sits in Vilas County, out in Wisconsin. The water sits 1,690 feet up. Surface area runs to roughly 878 acres, so plan for one area rather than the whole. Some 8.1 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Few waters listed in Vilas County are bigger. Start from Eagle River, 15 miles down the road. Green Bay sits 117 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Long Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Vilas County cover bluegill, yellow perch and walleye. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Treat Long Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 65°F and January near 9°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. At Long Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. It is an impounded water, so levels are managed and can shift through the year. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Catherine Lake is 0.9 miles distant. Confirm access to Long Lake locally before you travel.