Lake George in Ogemaw County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Set in Ogemaw County, Lake George is a Michigan water. This is pine and birch country. It runs to roughly 92 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. A shoreline of some 1.8 miles keeps the choices simple. Few waters listed in Ogemaw County are bigger. The closest town, West Branch, is 4.7 miles distant. Lansing sits 103 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lake George

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Ogemaw County include bluegill, rock bass and pink salmon. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Lake George fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 68°F in July and bottoms out near 18°F in January. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. Climate figures give an open season running early April to mid December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Lake George rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping shows a campsite some half a mile from the water. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Mud Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Lake George before loading the car.