Buckhorn Lake Fishing near Lake Orion, Michigan

• Overview

  Buckhorn Lake is one of the Oakland County waters in Michigan. Height above sea level is 981 feet. Surface area is around 28 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The edge runs 1.0 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Start from Lake Orion, 1.1 miles down the road. Further out sit Oxford (4 miles) and Auburn Hills (5.7 miles). The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Buckhorn 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. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Fish Buckhorn Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 70°F, with January the cold end at about 22°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. Break-up sits around early April on average, with the water closing again about mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. The season on Buckhorn Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Parking is mapped about half a mile from the bank. Fishing from a pier is possible half a mile away. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Lake Orion, 0.9 miles out. Check the current arrangement for Buckhorn Lake.