Gooseneck Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Michigan holds Gooseneck Lake, in Mason County. It lies 738 feet above sea level. With some 83 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 2.3 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Scottville sits 10 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Further out sit Baldwin (12 miles) and Ludington (19 miles). A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Gooseneck Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Mason County include rainbow smelt, alewife, bloater and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Gooseneck Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 21°F in January and 69°F in July. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. On average, early April opens the water and mid December closes it again. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. On Gooseneck Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Long Lake is 1.5 miles off. Check the position on Gooseneck Lake before loading the car.