Kilborne Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Kilborne Lake is a Clare County water, in Michigan. The water sits 1,089 feet up. It covers about 4 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is a small entry by Clare County standards. The nearest town is Harrison, 9 miles away. Further out sit Clare (11 miles) and Evart (17 miles). No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Kilborne Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Clare County records list bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon and northern pike among the fish reported. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Kilborne Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 19°F in January up to 68°F in July. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. The water is typically free of ice between early April and mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Kilborne Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Perch Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Kilborne Lake before loading the car.