Demont Lake in Isabella County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Demont Lake is an Isabella County water, in Michigan. The water sits 919 feet up. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is a small entry by Isabella County standards. Edmore is the closest town at 7 miles. Grand Rapids is the closest city, 48 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Demont Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Across Isabella County, recorded fish include johnny darter, white sucker and rainbow darter. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Fish Demont Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 69°F and January at 20°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Demont Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Babcocks Pond at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. For Demont Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.