Bass Lake in Oakland County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Bass Lake lies within the bounds of Oakland County, Michigan. It stands 909 feet above sea level. Roughly 38 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Nearest town is Wolverine Lake, 2.4 miles off. The big place round here is Ann Arbor, 24 miles distant. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge. There is enough here to keep coming back.

• Where to Fish on Bass Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Species logged across Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. 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

  Averages here run 71°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around late March. The open-water window runs from around late March to about mid December in an average year. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Plan around that when you fish Bass Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, South Commerce Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Bass Lake as something to verify.