Fishing at Chestnut Lake, Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  Chestnut Lake is an Oakland County water, in Michigan. Elevation runs to 732 feet. This is a pocket water of some 9 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. On size it sits at the modest end of our Oakland County list. Supplies mean a trip to Shelby, 2.5 miles off. It is 7.5 miles to Sterling Heights, the nearest city. A county line runs close by, so local bylaws can differ within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Chestnut Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Records held for Oakland County cover bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Chestnut Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 72°F, the coldest about 23°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Break-up comes around late March, and the run that follows is short and strong. On the long-run averages the water opens up around late March and starts locking again about late December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. It holds true on Chestnut Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Winkler Pond is 2.2 miles distant. For Chestnut Lake in particular, ask before you travel.