Bear Lake Fishing in Calhoun County, Michigan

• Overview

  Bear Lake falls in Calhoun County, part of Michigan. The land about it is mixed forest. The water measures roughly 11 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. The nearest place of any size is Marshall, 1.6 miles away. Then Brownlee Park, 8.2 miles, and Battle Creek, 9.9 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Calhoun County include bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Treat Bear Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 22°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. In an average year the thaw lands around late March and the freeze near mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Bear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Sherman Court Pond, 1.2 miles away. For Bear Lake in particular, ask before you travel.