Henkel Lake Fishing near Howard City, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Montcalm County, Henkel Lake is a Michigan water. The surface lies 886 feet up. Surface area runs to about 5 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Montcalm County list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Howard City, is 2.5 miles distant. Grand Rapids sits 34 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Henkel Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Montcalm County include bluegill, largemouth bass, white sucker, johnny darter and pink salmon. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Henkel Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 20°F to 69°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near mid December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Time your trip to Henkel Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. If the gate is shut, Burley Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. For Henkel Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.