Fishing at Burke Lake, Clinton County, Michigan

• Overview

  Burke Lake sits in Clinton County, out in Michigan. The land about it is pine and birch. Small at around 2 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Clinton County. Bath sits 3.2 miles from the bank. Haslett lies 4.3 miles off, Laingsburg another 5.9 miles. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Burke Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Clinton County, recorded fish include bluegill, pink salmon and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Read Burke Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 21°F to 70°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Burke Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Rose Lake, 1.2 miles away. Ask locally about Burke Lake if anything is unclear.