Childs Lake Fishing near Wixom, Michigan

• Overview

  Childs Lake is one of the Oakland County listings for Michigan. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. Small at around 16 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The closest town, Wixom, is 1.9 miles away. It is 20 miles to Ann Arbor, the nearest city. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Childs Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Oakland County records list bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. On Childs Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 71°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and late March brings it back. Climate averages put the opening at about late March and the closing near mid December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. The season on Childs Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Parking within 150 yards means no long carry with tackle. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. If the gate is shut, Gallager Lake at 1.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Childs Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.