Dutch Lake in Newaygo County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Dutch Lake belongs to Newaygo County, Michigan. The bank is 876 feet above sea level. It covers about 13 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Fremont, is 3.7 miles away. The nearest city of size is Grand Rapids, 40 miles away. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Dutch Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Newaygo County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and johnny darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Dutch Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 21°F in January to roughly 69°F in July. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan around that when you fish Dutch Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Cook Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the current arrangement for Dutch Lake.