Fishing Big Spring Lake in Kent County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Kent County end of Michigan holds Big Spring Lake. It sits at 620 feet above sea level. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Michigan listings. Start from Grandville, 0.7 miles down the road. Jenison lies 1.7 miles off, Wyoming another 2.9 miles. The county line runs close by, so rules can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Big Spring Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name bluegill, rock bass and johnny darter. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Big Spring Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 71°F and January about 23°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late March. Break-up near late March, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Big Spring Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Indian Spring Lake, 0.5 miles out. Treat access at Big Spring Lake as something to verify.