Lake Fourteen, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Van Buren County, Michigan. Country round the bank runs to mixed forest. It covers about 19 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Ground here is low by Michigan standards. Nearest town is Bangor, 5 miles off. After that come Paw Paw at 8.5 miles and Hartford at 9.8 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Fourteen

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Public occurrence data for Van Buren County names bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, pink salmon and black crappie. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Lake Fourteen gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 23°F in January. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Count the season from break-up, usually late March. The water is typically free of ice between late March and mid December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Lake Fourteen runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Should this one be busy, Abernathy Lake is 2.1 miles off. Confirm access to Lake Fourteen locally before you travel.