Fishing at Joslin Lake, Washtenaw County, Michigan

• Overview

  Look for Joslin Lake in the Washtenaw County part of Michigan. It lies 846 feet above sea level. The water covers some 52 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The edge runs 1.1 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Start from Clinton, 6 miles down the road. Manchester is 6.5 miles and Saline 6.7 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Joslin 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. Public occurrence data for Washtenaw County names bluegill, largemouth bass, rock bass and black crappie. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Fish Joslin Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 22°F in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near late March. Averages place the thaw at late March and the freeze at mid December. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Joslin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Schasser Lake is 1.3 miles off. Rules at Joslin Lake are worth checking on the day.