Bassett Lake Fishing in Branch County, Michigan

• Overview

  Out in Branch County, Michigan, sits Bassett Lake. It lies 925 feet above sea level. It covers about 3 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Most waters listed here for Branch County are larger. You are 4.2 miles from Bronson. Fort Wayne sits 53 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Bassett Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Public occurrence data for Branch County names bluegill, largemouth bass and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Bassett Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 22°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late March. Ice usually gives way near late March, and forms again about mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. The season on Bassett Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Dorsey Lake, 0.2 miles out. Check the position on Bassett Lake before loading the car.