Condon Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Newaygo County in Michigan is where Condon Lake sits. The setting is rolling bush. At 13 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Baldwin lies 10 miles from the water. White Cloud lies 16 miles off, Fremont another 20 miles. Within a short drive: Sawkaw Lake near enough 0.5 miles, Leaf Lake at 0.9 miles, Kenosha Lake near enough 0.9 miles, Highbank Lake at 0.9 miles and Amaung Lake near enough 1 mile. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Condon Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Newaygo County list largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch, johnny darter and white sucker. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Take Condon Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 20°F in January up to 68°F in July. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. The open-water window runs from around early April to about mid December in an average year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Condon Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Sawkaw Lake sits 0.5 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat access at Condon Lake as something to verify.