Fishing Clark Lake in Washtenaw County, Michigan

• Overview

  Clark Lake falls in Washtenaw County, part of Michigan. The land about it is mixed forest. Small at around 5 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Washtenaw County standards. Chelsea is the closest town at 5.7 miles. It is 19 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 Clark Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. 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. Reported across Washtenaw County: bluegill, largemouth bass, rock bass and black crappie. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Clark Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 71°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice-out usually falls in late March, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Climate averages put the opening at about late March and the closing near mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan around that when you fish Clark Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Facilities run to toilets half a mile from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Green Lake at 1.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm before you fish Clark Lake.