Green Lake in Jackson County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  In Michigan, Green Lake falls inside Jackson County. It sits in lake country bush country. This is a pocket water of some 15 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Some 2.1 miles away sits Vandercook Lake, the nearest settlement. The big place round here is Ann Arbor, 32 miles distant. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Green Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Jackson County include bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and black crappie. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Anyone new to Green Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 22°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. In an average year the thaw lands around late March and the freeze near mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Green Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Hammer Lake at 0.5 miles is the sensible second choice. For Green Lake in particular, ask before you travel.