Higgins Lake Fishing near Roscommon, Michigan

• Overview

  This water sits in Roscommon County, Michigan. Around the bank it is mixed forest. Around 15.9 sq miles of open water: conditions change from one end to the other. The perimeter is close to 22 miles, and wind can be flat in one arm and rough in the next. Size puts it in the front rank of our Roscommon County list. The nearest place of any size is Roscommon, 6.6 miles away. Then Houghton Lake, 11 miles, and Prudenville, 13 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Higgins Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Across Roscommon County, recorded fish include rock bass, yellow perch, bluegill, walleye and northern pike. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Higgins Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 18°F to 67°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around mid December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. The season on Higgins Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. It is an impounded water, so levels are managed and can shift through the year. West Higgins Lake Drive Road End Access is the mapped fishing point, half a mile out. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. If the gate is shut, Marl Lake at 4.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Higgins Lake for certain.