Fishing at Bob Lake, Otsego County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Otsego County, Bob Lake is a Michigan water. It sits at 1,250 feet above sea level. Small at around 4 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Most waters listed here for Otsego County are larger. Some 5.5 miles away sits Gaylord, the nearest settlement. Grand Rapids sits 148 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Bob Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Records held for Otsego County cover rock bass, white sucker and largemouth bass. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Take Bob Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 67°F and January about 17°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Anyone fishing Bob Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Horseshoe Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Confirm before you fish Bob Lake.