Fishing Cranberry Lake in Saint Joseph County, Michigan

• Overview

  Cranberry Lake is a Saint Joseph County water, in Michigan. The land about it is mixed forest. Roughly 40 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Shoreline comes to about 1.1 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Head to Marcellus, 3.2 miles away, for anything you forgot. Three Rivers is 7.8 miles and Schoolcraft 10 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Cranberry Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Cranberry Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 23°F and July at about 71°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late March. The water is typically free of ice between late March and mid December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. At Cranberry Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Spirit Springs Sanctuary runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Mill Lake, 1 mile away. For Cranberry Lake in particular, ask before you travel.