Fishing Cub Lake in Hillsdale County, Michigan

• Overview

  Cub Lake belongs to Hillsdale County, Michigan. Everything around it is lake country bush. With some 124 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The edge runs 3.1 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Few waters listed in Hillsdale County are bigger. Reading lies 5.8 miles from the water. Fort Wayne is the closest city, 53 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Cub Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Hillsdale County cover bluegill, largemouth bass and yellow perch. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Read Cub Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 71°F at the top of summer and 21°F at the bottom of winter. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late March. The season between ice runs from about late March to mid December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Time your trip to Cub Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A ramp at Cub Lake Public Boat Launch is mapped half a mile away. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Cambria Millpond at 1.5 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Cub Lake before loading the car.