Fishing Bradley Lake in Kent County, Michigan

• Overview

  Bradley Lake sits in Kent County, out in Michigan. This is lake country bush country. Small at around 19 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The closest town, Cedar Springs, is 5.8 miles away. The nearest city of size is Grand Rapids, 25 miles away. Near neighbours include: Gould Lake within 0.2 miles, 0.4 miles away is Sealey Lake, Ware Lake within 0.4 miles, 1.2 miles away is Breford Lake and Helena Lake within 2.2 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Bradley Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Survey and observation records for Kent County include bluegill, rock bass, johnny darter and largemouth bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Bradley Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 21°F to 70°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. From about early April to around mid December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Expect Bradley Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. Anglers use Matts Bait -n- Tackle, 0.9 miles from this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Gould Lake, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Bradley Lake before loading the car.