Howes Lake in Crawford County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Michigan holds Howes Lake, in Crawford County. The ground around here is pine and birch. At roughly 15 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The nearest town is Grayling, 5.2 miles away. For a city, Grand Rapids is 127 miles off. Close by you have: Lake Margrethe 2.9 miles away, Sand Hill Lake within 3.3 miles, Kings Ponds 5.5 miles away, Simpson Lakes within 5.8 miles and South Black Lake 5.9 miles away. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Howes Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Crawford County include white sucker, rock bass and yellow perch. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Anyone new to Howes Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 67°F at the top of summer and 17°F at the bottom of winter. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly early December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Howes Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Should this one be busy, Lake Margrethe is 2.9 miles off. Treat Howes Lake as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.