Clarks Lake Fishing in Washtenaw County, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Clarks Lake in Washtenaw County, Michigan. The ground around here is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 18 acres — small enough to read in one session. You are 2.8 miles from Chelsea. For a city, Ann Arbor is 17 miles off. Round about: Canfield Lake roughly 0.4 miles, 0.6 miles out stands Long Lake, Gorman Lake roughly 0.7 miles, 0.7 miles out stands McLaughlin Lake and Mirror Lake roughly 1.2 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Clarks Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Washtenaw County include bluegill, largemouth bass and rock bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Fish Clarks Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 71°F, the coldest about 22°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around late March. Open water usually runs from late March until about mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to Clarks Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Canfield Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Clarks Lake are worth checking on the day.