Hidden Lake in Ogemaw County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Hidden Lake lies in Ogemaw County, in Michigan. It sits in pine and birch. The far bank is a conversation away, so keep low and quiet. On size it sits at the modest end of our Ogemaw County list. For supplies, Mio is 9.4 miles out. West Branch lies 17 miles off, Saint Helen another 17 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Hidden Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name bluegill, rock bass and pink salmon. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Hidden Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 17°F to 67°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Hidden Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. A picnic area is mapped about half a mile away. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Happy Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. What applies at Hidden Lake may have changed since it was mapped.