Fonda Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Livingston County, Fonda Lake is a Michigan water. The ground around here is rolling bush. Roughly 83 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. The full circuit measures close to 1.4 miles on foot. Nearest place of any size is Brighton, 1.8 miles away. Ann Arbor sits 16 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Fonda Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Livingston County records list bluegill, largemouth bass and black crappie among the fish reported. The county list is broader than any single water. The shape of Fonda Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 22°F to 71°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. Break-up near late March, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That shapes the year on Fonda Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Mapping shows a jetty some half a mile off. There are toilets half a mile off. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Island Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Fonda Lake.