Garthes Pond in Leelanau County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Garthes Pond is a Leelanau County water, in Michigan. Height above sea level is 627 feet. The water measures roughly 8 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Leelanau County list. Elk Rapids is the closest place, 20 miles off. Beyond it, Charlevoix at 22 miles and Bellaire at 23 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Garthes Pond

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Reported across Leelanau County: alewife, rock bass and yellow perch. At least one recorded species is protected in parts of its range; read the local rules before targeting anything. Garthes Pond repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 67°F, the coldest about 21°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It holds true on Garthes Pond more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. A launch point is recorded some half a mile off. Northport Marina sits 0.9 miles away and handles boats. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. A platform or pier sits within 0.9 miles. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. The nearest alternative is Leg Lake, 2.5 miles out. What applies at Garthes Pond may have changed since it was mapped.