Cordes Lake Fishing in Kent County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Kent County entry here is Cordes Lake, in Michigan. It sits at 896 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 3 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Kent County. The closest town, Cedar Springs, is 6.2 miles away. Grand Rapids is the closest city, 18 miles away. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Cordes Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name bluegill, rock bass, johnny darter, largemouth bass and black crappie. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Cordes Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 21°F and July at about 70°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Hard water is a season in its own right here. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The lid tends to go about early April and return around mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Cordes Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Should this one be busy, Angel Lake is 2.1 miles off. Confirm access to Cordes Lake locally before you travel.