Long Lake is sitting at 67 to 74 degrees right now. That’s the bass window.
Water in the upper 60s through mid-70s puts largemouth and smallmouth in their most aggressive feeding mode. Post-spawn fish are hungry. They’ll hit hard, and they’ll hit shallow water just as readily as the first deeper structure off the bank.
Throw topwater early. Buzzbaits and walking baits like the Whopper Plopper draw strikes once the surface warms into the 70s. Poppers work too if there’s chop. When the topwater bite cools, switch to moving baits. A chatterbait or spinnerbait covers water fast. Lipless crankbaits trigger reaction strikes from fish already keyed up.
If the fish are tucked into docks or laydowns or grass, pitch a Texas-rigged worm. A jig works the same way. Slow it down. Let them eat. When the bite gets tight, drop shot or shaky head a little deeper.
Location matters more than lure choice right now. In the 67 to 70 range, plenty of bass are still relating to spawning shallows. Grass edges, dock pilings, rocky banks. Mornings belong to sun-warmed shallows. Midday, work shade or drop into 10 to 20 feet. Post-spawn fish slide out of the bays and stack on the first real structure they find, which usually means points and drop-offs.
A few things worth keeping in mind. Stable temperatures are the tell. If Long Lake has held in this range a couple of weeks, the fish are settled and feeding. Watch for five-degree swings either way. Small changes move fish more than most anglers realize. If you’re throwing in fall conditions, the greenest weed beds win. Baitfish hold there, and bass hold on baitfish.
Push past 75 to 80 and the game changes. Fish drop deeper or bury in matted vegetation. Until then, the window’s open.