Byron Lake in Alcona County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Byron Lake sits within Alcona County in Michigan. Elevation runs to 991 feet. At 13 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest town is Mio, 15 miles away. Lansing is the closest city, 137 miles away. Water in the same corner: Carp Lake at 0.9 miles, Penoyer Lake just 1.4 miles, Hoist Lakes at 1.9 miles, Sunny Lake just 2.7 miles and O'Brien Lake at 3.4 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Byron Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Alcona County: white sucker, rock bass, yellow perch, northern pike and brown bullhead. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Byron Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 67°F; by January the average is down near 18°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Byron Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Failing this one, try Carp Lake, 0.9 miles away. Signs at Byron Lake carry more weight than any list.