Fishing at Eliza Lake, Benzie County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Benzie County entry here is Eliza Lake, in Michigan. It sits at 817 feet above sea level. At roughly 5 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Most waters listed here for Benzie County are larger. The closest town, Greilickville, is 15 miles distant. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 104 miles away. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Eliza Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Species logged across Benzie County include yellow perch, rock bass, smallmouth bass, white sucker and bluegill. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. Take Eliza Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 68°F and January near 21°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Averages suggest open water from about early April through to roughly mid December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. That is the shape of the year on Eliza Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Upper Woodcock Lake at 2.2 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Eliza Lake may have changed since it was mapped.