Jenks Lake in Lake County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Within Lake County, Michigan, you have Jenks Lake. What surrounds it is pine and birch. It covers about 16 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Baldwin is the closest place, 4.5 miles off. Further out sit Reed City (19 miles) and White Cloud (21 miles). It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Jenks Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Lake County include rainbow trout, brook trout, white sucker, bluegill and brown trout. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Jenks Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 69°F, while January sits near 20°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On average, early April opens the water and mid December closes it again. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Jenks Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. There is a jetty half a mile off, worth knowing on a busy day. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Stevens Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position at Jenks Lake before loading the car.