Half Moon Lake near Clare: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Clare County entry here is Half Moon Lake, in Michigan. The country round it is rolling bush from end to end. It measures about 75 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Around 1.9 miles of margin, front to back. Size puts it in the front rank of our Clare County list. The closest town, Clare, is 11 miles distant. It is 74 miles to Grand Rapids, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Half Moon Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Clare County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Read Half Moon Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 68°F on average, January about 19°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. On the long-run averages the water opens up around early April and starts locking again about mid December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Half Moon Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Part of this sits inside or beside Dollar Lake Hunt Club, so read the notices. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Owl Lake is 0.6 miles off. Treat access at Half Moon Lake as something to verify.