Fishing Esmond Lake in Iosco County, Michigan

• Overview

  Esmond Lake is one of the Iosco County listings for Michigan. It stands 801 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 9 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Iosco County standards. The town to know is Sand Lake, 5.8 miles out. Tawas City lies 15 miles off, East Tawas another 15 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Esmond Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Iosco County, recorded fish include rock bass, bluegill, pink salmon, largemouth bass and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Esmond Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 68°F; the cold one sits at 18°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. Average temperatures cross freezing around early April in spring and again near mid December in autumn. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on Esmond Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. For a change of water, Welcome Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Rules at Esmond Lake are worth checking on the day.