Arnold Lake near Harrison: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Arnold Lake stands in Clare County, Michigan. It sits in rolling bush country. The water covers some 118 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. A shoreline of some 1.9 miles keeps the choices simple. Few waters listed in Clare County are bigger. You are 4.2 miles from Harrison. Gladwin is 15 miles away, with Prudenville at 17 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Arnold Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Reported across Clare County: bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Arnold Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 18°F in January and 68°F in July. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly early December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Arnold Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Cranberry Lake at 1 mile is the sensible second choice. What applies at Arnold Lake may have changed since it was mapped.