Forest Lake in Arenac County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Forest Lake stands in Arenac County, Michigan. The ground around here is lake country bush. It measures about 191 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. You are looking at roughly 5.5 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Start from Skidway Lake, 4.3 miles down the road. Lansing sits 99 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Forest Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Rip-rap along the wall holds fish that the open bank never does. A reservoir gives you a hard edge, a shelf, and not much else. County-wide records name white sucker, black bullhead, black crappie and bluegill. Protected fish appear in the records for this area, so treat the list as information, not an invitation. At Forest Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 68°F in July and bottom out at 18°F in January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Forest Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. The nearest car park is half a mile from the water. A wire trace and a big bright lure handle the pike; deep water asks for a heavier spoon. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Chandlers Lake is 3.8 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Forest Lake.