Crotched Lake Fishing Guide, Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  Crotched Lake belongs to Oakland County, Michigan. The water sits 928 feet up. Surface area is around 40 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Holly lies 2.2 miles from the water. Further out sit Fenton (5.5 miles) and Lake Fenton (5.8 miles). The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Crotched Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Crotched Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 70°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near 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. That shapes the year on Crotched Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. The nearest alternative is Little Crotched Lake, 0.2 miles out. Ask locally about Crotched Lake if anything is unclear.