Karen Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Crawford County end of Michigan holds Karen Lake. It sits at 1,165 feet above sea level. At 2 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. It is a small entry by Crawford County standards. Supplies mean a trip to Grayling, 5.5 miles off. Roscommon lies 16 miles off, Lewiston another 20 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Karen Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Fish documented in Crawford County include white sucker, rock bass, yellow perch, largemouth bass and bluegill. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Karen Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 67°F, with January the cold end at about 17°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter locks it down, and mid April brings it back. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Karen Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. 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. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. Hartwick Lake, 0.5 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Ask locally about Karen Lake if anything is unclear.