Fishing Hickory Lake in Shiawassee County, Michigan

• Overview

  Hickory Lake is set in Shiawassee County, Michigan. The water sits 863 feet up. It covers about 7 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The town to know is Perry, 2.2 miles out. The nearest city of size is Lansing, 16 miles away. Within a short drive: Marsh Lake the better part of 1.6 miles, Ward Lake at 2.2 miles, North Lakes the better part of 2.3 miles, Dunn Lakes at 2.5 miles and Perch Lake the better part of 2.5 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Hickory Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Shiawassee County records list bluegill, northern pike and largemouth bass among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Hickory Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 70°F in July and bottom out at 21°F in January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Break-up sits around early April on average, with the water closing again about mid December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. Plan around that when you fish Hickory Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. For a change of water, Marsh Lake is 1.6 miles distant. Treat access at Hickory Lake as something to verify.