Davis Lake Fishing in Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Oakland County entry here is Davis Lake, in Michigan. The surface lies 1,030 feet up. The water covers some 30 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The town to know is Oxford, 1.1 miles out. Lake Orion is 3.2 miles and Ortonville 8.4 miles. More in the same country: Spring Lake some 0.3 miles off, Cedar Lake roughly 0.3 miles, Long Lake some 0.4 miles off, Clear Lake roughly 0.6 miles and Powell Lake some 0.7 miles off. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Davis Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Oakland County list bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Davis Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 70°F, while January sits near 22°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Davis Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. The nearest alternative is Spring Lake, 0.3 miles out. What applies at Davis Lake may have changed since it was mapped.