Fishing at Lake Contos, Gladwin County, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Lake Contos falls inside Gladwin County. The setting is pine and birch. The water measures roughly 12 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Nearest town is Gladwin, 4.5 miles off. The big place round here is Lansing, 89 miles distant. Nearest other option: Pratt Lake at 1.1 miles, Frost Lake near enough 1.2 miles, Puro Lake at 1.5 miles, Wiggins Lake near enough 1.6 miles and Peach Lake at 3.1 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lake Contos

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Gladwin County names bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie and northern pike. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Lake Contos a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 69°F for July and 19°F for January. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Look for the thaw near early April; the fishing lifts straight after. Open water usually runs from early April until about mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Lake Contos fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. The slipway at Pratt Lake Boat Launch is half a mile away. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. The water borders Gladwin County Recreation Area, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Pratt Lake is 1.1 miles off. Signs at Lake Contos carry more weight than any list.