Canfield Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  You will find Canfield Lake in Manistee County, Michigan. Everything around it is lake country bush. It measures about 36 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 1.0 miles keeps the choices simple. It lies lower than most water we list in Michigan. 2.4 miles away sits Manistee, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 86 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Canfield Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Manistee County include alewife, rainbow smelt and bloater. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Canfield Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 69°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Time your trip to Canfield Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The nearest recorded ramp is Canfield Lake Boat Launch, half a mile out. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Gambs Lake, 0.7 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Canfield Lake for certain.