Fishing Gilbert Lake in Leelanau County, Michigan

• Overview

  Michigan holds Gilbert Lake, in Leelanau County. It sits at 755 feet above sea level. It covers about 5 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Leelanau County. You are 14 miles from Greilickville. Traverse City is 15 miles away, with Frankfort at 19 miles. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Gilbert Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Across Leelanau County, recorded fish include alewife, rock bass, yellow perch and Chinook salmon. Several of these carry legal protection or closed seasons; the rulebook comes before the rod. Fish Gilbert Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 68°F, while January sits near 21°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Time your trip to Gilbert Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Armstrong Lake Public Water Access Site takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Wells Lake at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Treat access at Gilbert Lake as something to verify.