Bass Lake near Howard City: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  You will find Bass Lake in Montcalm County, Michigan. Height above sea level is 892 feet. The water covers some 40 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Bank access stretches around 1.0 miles in total. Howard City sits 4.2 miles from the bank. Further out sit Cedar Springs (8.8 miles) and Lakeview (14 miles). Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Montcalm County include bluegill, largemouth bass and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. On Bass Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 70°F, while January sits near 21°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice is part of the season here, ending near early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Plan any trip to Bass Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Little Bass Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Rules at Bass Lake are worth checking on the day.