Bass Lake Fishing near Kingsley, Michigan

• Overview

  Michigan holds Bass Lake, in Grand Traverse County. Elevation runs to 853 feet. The water covers some 36 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Kingsley sits 6.7 miles from the bank. The nearest city of size is Grand Rapids, 119 miles away. Nearby alternatives: Denzer Lake roughly 0.6 miles, Rennie Lake at 0.6 miles, Spider Lake roughly 0.8 miles, Indian Lake at 1.1 miles and George Lake roughly 1.3 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Grand Traverse County include rock bass, yellow perch, white sucker and smallmouth bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Bass Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 68°F in July and bottoms out near 20°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly mid December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. The season on Bass Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Denzer Lake, 0.6 miles away. Check the position on Bass Lake before loading the car.