Hammond Lake Fishing in Isabella County, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Hammond Lake belongs to Isabella County. The bank is 955 feet above sea level. At 3 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Isabella County. Lake Isabella is the closest town at 7.1 miles. Clare is 13 miles and Mount Pleasant 16 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Hammond Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Isabella County, recorded fish include johnny darter, white sucker and rainbow darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Take Hammond Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 69°F and January at 20°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. The season between ice runs from about early April to mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. That is the shape of the year on Hammond Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. The map shows no ramp or car park nearby, so this is a walk-in water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Lake Windaga is 1.9 miles off. Rules at Hammond Lake are worth checking on the day.