Fishing Courson Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Courson Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan. The bank is 817 feet above sea level. At 4 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Most waters listed here for Leelanau County are larger. For supplies, Greilickville is 14 miles out. Traverse City is 15 miles away, with Frankfort at 18 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Courson Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Leelanau County names alewife, rock bass and yellow perch. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. The shape of Courson Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 68°F in July and bottom out at 21°F in January. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Anyone fishing Courson Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. There are toilets half a mile off. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Garey Lake, 0.4 miles out. Where Courson Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.