Fishing Bass Lake in Clare County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Clare County entry here is Bass Lake, in Michigan. Around the bank it is mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Clare County standards. Head to Harrison, 5.1 miles away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Grand Rapids is 85 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Clare County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass and pink salmon. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. The shape of Bass Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 19°F to 69°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Once it clears, about early April, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Bass Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. The nearest alternative is Lily Lake, 0.2 miles out. Nothing on Bass Lake should be assumed from this page alone.