Davis Lake Fishing in Grand Traverse County, Michigan

• Overview

  Within Grand Traverse County, Michigan, you have Davis Lake. It sits at 840 feet above sea level. At about 38 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. About 1.0 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. The closest town, Greilickville, is 11 miles distant. Traverse City follows at 12 miles, then Frankfort at 21 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Davis Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Grand Traverse County include rock bass, yellow perch, white sucker, smallmouth bass and bluegill. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Fish Davis Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 68°F and January near 20°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Davis Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A ramp at Davis Lake Boat Launch is mapped half a mile away. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Horseshoe Lake sits 1 mile off and takes the overflow. Check the position at Davis Lake before loading the car.