Ellis Lake Fishing Guide, Grand Traverse County, Michigan

• Overview

  Ellis Lake belongs to Grand Traverse County, Michigan. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. Around 40 acres of surface means several distinct areas to work. The whole outline is near 1.0 miles, and most of it is walkable. Traverse City is the closest place, 9.3 miles off. It is 112 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Ellis Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Grand Traverse County, recorded fish include rock bass, yellow perch and white sucker. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Ellis Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 68°F and January near 20°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. Average temperatures cross freezing around mid April in spring and again near mid December in autumn. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan around that when you fish Ellis Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. Public data has parking about half a mile from the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Tonawanda Lake, 0.9 miles away. Nothing on Ellis Lake should be assumed from this page alone.