Curtis Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Curtis Lake lies in Clinton County, in Michigan. Country round the bank runs to rolling bush. The water measures roughly 8 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Supplies mean a trip to Laingsburg, 6 miles off. Ovid is 6.4 miles away, with Saint Johns at 7 miles. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Curtis Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Clinton County include bluegill, pink salmon, yellow perch and black crappie. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Curtis Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 71°F, with January the cold end at about 21°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It sets the rhythm of the year at Curtis Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Montague Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Curtis Lake should be assumed from this page alone.