Fishing Bass Lake in Mecosta County, Michigan

• Overview

  Bass Lake is a Mecosta County water, in Michigan. It stands 991 feet above sea level. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Our Mecosta County list holds plenty of bigger water. Some 9.4 miles away sits Canadian Lakes, the nearest settlement. It is 56 miles to Grand Rapids, the nearest city. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Mecosta County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, rock bass and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Bass Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 19°F to 69°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It sets the rhythm of the year at Bass Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. A slipway is marked about half a mile from here. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Boom Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Bass Lake before loading the car.