Esler Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Esler Lake belongs to Oakland County, Michigan. Height above sea level is 955 feet. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. On size it sits at the modest end of our Oakland County list. Holly sits 3 miles from here and is the nearest stop. The nearest city of size is Ann Arbor, 33 miles away. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Esler Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Esler Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 70°F in July and bottoms out near 22°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. The water is typically free of ice between early April and mid December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. At Esler Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Cogger Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Esler Lake should be assumed from this page alone.