Briggs Lake in Ogemaw County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Briggs Lake lies in Ogemaw County, Michigan. Everything around it is mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Ogemaw County. The closest town, Mio, is 9.9 miles distant. For a city, Lansing is 124 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Briggs Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Ogemaw County, recorded fish include bluegill, rock bass and pink salmon. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Briggs Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 67°F and January reads 17°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near early December in autumn. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Briggs Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Somewhere to sit and eat is half a mile out. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. North Twin Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Briggs Lake if anything is unclear.