Fishing at Bullhead Lake, Van Buren County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Van Buren County, Michigan, this is Bullhead Lake. It sits in pine and birch country. Small at around 3 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. On size it sits at the modest end of our Van Buren County list. Some 9.6 miles away sits Paw Paw, the nearest settlement. Mattawan lies 10 miles off, Otsego another 10 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Bullhead Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Reported across Van Buren County: bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, pink salmon and black crappie. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Take Bullhead Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 23°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Break-up comes around late March, and the run that follows is short and strong. Average temperatures cross freezing around late March in spring and again near mid December in autumn. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. At Bullhead Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Hemlock Lake sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. The position on Bullhead Lake is worth confirming on the day.