Fishing Cranberry Lake in Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Oakland County, Michigan, this is Cranberry Lake. Around the bank it is mixed forest. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Oakland County list. Milford lies 3.2 miles from the water. The nearest city of size is Ann Arbor, 25 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Cranberry Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. The near bank of Cranberry Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 71°F, the coldest about 22°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Cranberry Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Surfwood Boat Launch is the mapped launch, some 0.9 miles from here. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Tray Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Rules at Cranberry Lake are worth checking on the day.