Jarvis Lake Fishing near Watervliet, Michigan

• Overview

  Jarvis Lake lies within the bounds of Van Buren County, Michigan. Around the bank it is pine and birch. The nearest town is Watervliet, 8.2 miles away. After that come Dowagiac at 8.8 miles and Coloma at 8.9 miles. Other water within reach: 0.9 miles away is Rowe Lake, Pipestone Lake 1.1 miles, 1.3 miles away is Grabemeyer Lake, Round Lake 1.6 miles and 2.2 miles away is Cable Lake. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Jarvis Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Across Van Buren County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, pink salmon and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Work Jarvis Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 72°F and January reads 24°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Count the season from break-up, usually late March. Expect the water usable from around late March until roughly late December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on Jarvis Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Rowe Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. For Jarvis Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.