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

• Overview

  Gregory Lake lies in Jackson County, in Michigan. The bank gives way to lake country bush. The water measures roughly 8 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. It is a small entry by Jackson County standards. Supplies mean a trip to Concord, 2.2 miles off. After that come Spring Arbor at 6.7 miles and Homer at 7.6 miles. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Gregory Lake

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Jackson County include bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie and northern pike. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Gregory Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 71°F and January near 22°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. Climate figures give an open season running late March to mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Gregory Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Swains Lake Natural Area takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Swains Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. For Gregory Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.