Carroll Lake Fishing near Wolverine Lake, Michigan

• Overview

  Carroll Lake lies in Oakland County, in Michigan. Beyond the shoreline you have rolling bush. It measures about 25 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. A shoreline of some 1.1 miles keeps the choices simple. Wolverine Lake is the closest place, 3.7 miles off. Walled Lake is 5 miles and West Bloomfield Township 5.6 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Carroll Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Oakland County, recorded fish include bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Carroll Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 22°F in January and 71°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late March. Average temperatures cross freezing around late March in spring and again near mid December in autumn. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It holds true on Carroll Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is a mapped slipway roughly half a mile away. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Little Carroll Lake sits 0.2 miles off and takes the overflow. What applies at Carroll Lake may have changed since it was mapped.