Cummings Lake Fishing near West Branch, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Cummings Lake falls inside Ogemaw County. The surface lies 899 feet up. About 11 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. For supplies, West Branch is 11 miles out. The big place round here is Lansing, 117 miles distant. Other water nearby: Eagle Lake at 1.3 miles, Sandback Pond within 1.8 miles, Prior Lake at 2.7 miles, Mallard Pond within 4 miles and Jewett Lake at 4 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Cummings Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Ogemaw County, recorded fish include bluegill, rock bass, pink salmon, largemouth bass and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. The near bank of Cummings Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 68°F on average, January about 17°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near early December in autumn. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Expect Cummings Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. There is a car park half a mile from the bank. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. The nearest alternative is Eagle Lake, 1.3 miles out. The position on Cummings Lake is worth confirming on the day.