Bennet Springs, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Bennet Springs sits in Schoolcraft County, out in Michigan. It stands 853 feet above sea level. It covers about 3 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Our Schoolcraft County list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Newberry, is 17 miles distant. It is 171 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Bennet Springs

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, alewife, bloater and yellow perch. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of Bennet Springs decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 64°F in July and bottom out at 16°F in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about early December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Plan any trip to Bennet Springs around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping shows no built access close by; expect to walk in from wherever you can leave the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Grass Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Bennet Springs for certain.