Ferguson Lake in Jackson County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Ferguson Lake in Jackson County, Michigan. Height above sea level is 942 feet. At 9 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. On size it sits at the modest end of our Jackson County list. For a base, Vandercook Lake sits 2.6 miles out. Ann Arbor sits 36 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Ferguson Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Jackson County: bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and black crappie. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Ferguson Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 71°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late March. On average, late March opens the water and mid December closes it again. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Ferguson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. If the gate is shut, Peterson Lake at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. For Ferguson Lake in particular, ask before you travel.