Jenkins Lake near Sand Lake: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Jenkins Lake lies within the bounds of Iosco County, Michigan. The surface lies 843 feet up. It runs to roughly 36 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. About 1.3 miles of bank, so nothing stays unexplored for long. The nearest place of any size is Sand Lake, 11 miles away. Skidway Lake lies 15 miles off, West Branch another 18 miles. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Jenkins Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Across Iosco County, recorded fish include rock bass, bluegill and pink salmon. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Anyone new to Jenkins Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 18°F in January and 68°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near mid December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. Jenkins Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. If the gate is shut, La Barge Lake at 0.7 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing here settles the position at Jenkins Lake for certain.