Garwood Lake near Buchanan: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  This water sits in Berrien County, Michigan. The bank gives way to pine and birch. The water measures roughly 10 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It lies lower than most water we list in Michigan. Buchanan sits 6.2 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Hudson Lake lies 6.6 miles off, New Carlisle another 6.8 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Garwood Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Berrien County records list alewife, rainbow smelt, bloater, yellow perch and lake trout among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Garwood Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 24°F in January up to 72°F in July. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about mid March. Ice usually gives way near mid March, and forms again about late December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Garwood Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. Burns Prairie Preserve runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. For a change of water, Dayton Lake is 2.1 miles distant. Rules at Garwood Lake are worth checking on the day.