Chrishaven Lake in Kent County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Chrishaven Lake is one of the Kent County waters in Michigan. Around the bank it is lake country bush. Small enough that any disturbance crosses the whole surface. On size it sits at the modest end of our Kent County list. For supplies, Kent City is 4.2 miles out. Sparta follows at 6.8 miles, then Cedar Springs at 7.3 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Chrishaven Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Kent County include bluegill, rock bass, johnny darter and largemouth bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Chrishaven Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 21°F in January to roughly 70°F in July. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly mid December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Chrishaven Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. This sits inside Howard Christensen Nature Center, so read the reserve notices first. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Spring Lake is 0.6 miles distant. Confirm access to Chrishaven Lake locally before you travel.