Fishing Hodges Lake in Mecosta County, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Hodges Lake falls inside Mecosta County. It sits at 1,132 feet above sea level. The water covers some 45 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Bank access stretches around 1.1 miles in total. Nearest town is Evart, 6.8 miles off. Grand Rapids is the closest city, 62 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Hodges Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Across Mecosta County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass and rock bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Hodges Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 68°F, the coldest about 19°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Once it clears, about early April, the fishing comes on quickly. The open-water window runs from around early April to about mid December in an average year. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. It sets the rhythm of the year at Hodges Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Lake Miramichi, 1.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the current arrangement for Hodges Lake.