Fishing Cranberry Lake in Lapeer County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Lapeer County entry here is Cranberry Lake, in Michigan. The water sits 856 feet up. At roughly 16 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. 5.1 miles away sits Imlay City, the nearest town. Beyond it, Lapeer at 9.1 miles and North Branch at 11 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Cranberry Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Lapeer County include bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon and black crappie. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Read Cranberry Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 22°F to 70°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Cranberry Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. If the gate is shut, Mitchell Lakes at 0.3 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Cranberry Lake for certain.