Fishing at Island Lake, Grand Traverse County, Michigan

• Overview

  Within Grand Traverse County, Michigan, you have Island Lake. The bank is 869 feet above sea level. The water covers some 122 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Around 1.6 miles of margin, front to back. It ranks high for size among our Grand Traverse County listings. The nearest place of any size is Kingsley, 8.6 miles away. Traverse City is 10 miles away, with Greilickville at 12 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Island Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Survey and observation records for Grand Traverse County include rock bass, yellow perch, white sucker, smallmouth bass and bluegill. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Island Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 68°F at the top of summer and 20°F at the bottom of winter. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about mid December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Island Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. A boat ramp sits half a mile away, so trailered boats can get on. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Muncie Lake sits 0.6 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Island Lake should be assumed from this page alone.