Deer Lake Fishing in Osceola County, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Deer Lake falls inside Osceola County. It lies 1,181 feet above sea level. It covers about 12 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Reed City is the closest place, 9.2 miles off. The nearest city of size is Grand Rapids, 73 miles away. More in the same country: Sherwood Lake at 0.8 miles, Little Sherwood Lake 0.9 miles away, Sprague Lake at 0.9 miles, Twin Lake 1.1 miles away and Eggleston Lake at 1.4 miles. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Deer Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Osceola County records list bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon, northern pike and white sucker among the fish reported. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Work Deer Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 67°F and January near 18°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Ice usually gives way near mid April, and forms again about early December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Deer Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Sherwood Lake, 0.8 miles out. None of that is settled for Deer Lake in what we hold.