Lake Five Fishing Guide, Otsego County, Michigan

• Overview

  Lake Five sits within Otsego County in Michigan. Pine and birch runs right down to the water. Surface area is around 40 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Nearest town is Gaylord, 2.2 miles off. Grand Rapids is the closest city, 151 miles away. If this one is busy: Lake Three within 0.2 miles, Lake Four 0.2 miles, Lake One within 0.4 miles, Lake Two 0.5 miles and Porcupine Lakes within 2.5 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Lake Five

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Otsego County include rock bass, white sucker, largemouth bass and northern pike. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Lake Five where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 67°F and January about 17°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Lake Five fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Lake Three is 0.2 miles off. Check the position at Lake Five before loading the car.