Highbank Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Within Newaygo County, Michigan, you have Highbank Lake. This is pine and birch country. Surface area runs to about 21 acres — small enough to read in one session. Baldwin lies 9.3 miles from the water. It is 57 miles to Grand Rapids, the nearest city. Also within reach: Amaung Lake within 0.4 miles, 0.6 miles away is Sawkaw Lake, Kenosha Lake within 0.8 miles, 0.9 miles away is Condon Lake and Otterman Lake within 1.6 miles. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Highbank Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Newaygo County, recorded fish include largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and johnny darter. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Highbank Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 68°F; by January the average is down near 20°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Highbank Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. For a change of water, Amaung Lake is 0.4 miles distant. The position on Highbank Lake is worth confirming on the day.