Deer Lake near Greenville: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Deer Lake lies within the bounds of Kent County, Michigan. It sits at 810 feet above sea level. It covers about 20 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Greenville is the closest town at 4 miles. Grand Rapids sits 22 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Kent County, recorded fish include bluegill, rock bass, johnny darter and largemouth bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The shape of Deer Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 70°F in July and bottom out at 21°F in January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The season between ice runs from about early April to mid December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Deer Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. There are toilets half a mile off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, County Line Lake is 0.5 miles distant. Where Deer Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.