Fishing Crooked Lake in Missaukee County, Michigan

• Overview

  Look for Crooked Lake in the Missaukee County part of Michigan. The ground round it is pine and birch. About 509 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. The shoreline runs about 5.0 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. On our Missaukee County list it sits near the top for size. 7.7 miles away sits Manton, the nearest town. Cadillac lies 8.1 miles off, Kingsley another 21 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Crooked Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Missaukee County: white sucker, johnny darter and brook trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Crooked Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 67°F and January near 18°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Look for the thaw near mid April; the fishing lifts straight after. Open water usually runs from mid April until about early December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That is the shape of the year on Crooked Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. A boat ramp sits about half a mile from the water. A campsite lies half a mile away for anyone staying over. There are toilets half a mile off. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. For a change of water, Mud Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Ask locally about Crooked Lake if anything is unclear.