Elizabeth Lake Fishing in Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  Within Oakland County, Michigan, you have Elizabeth Lake. It lies 932 feet above sea level. Roughly 362 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. With 3.4 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. On our Oakland County list it sits near the top for size. You are 2.4 miles from Keego Harbor. After that come Sylvan Lake at 3 miles and Orchard Lake at 3.5 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Elizabeth Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Fish documented in Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Elizabeth Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 71°F at the top of summer and 22°F at the bottom of winter. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late March. On average, late March opens the water and mid December closes it again. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Elizabeth Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. There is a marina, Club Royale, half a mile away. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Crescent Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Elizabeth Lake if anything is unclear.