Fishing Lake Nicholas in Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Oakland County end of Michigan holds Lake Nicholas. This is pine and birch ground. Surface area runs to about 4 acres — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Oakland County are larger. The town to know is Ortonville, 2.5 miles out. Sterling Heights is the closest city, 25 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Lake Nicholas

  Nothing we hold settles how deep this runs. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Fish Lake Nicholas where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 70°F in July and bottoms out near 21°F in January. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about mid December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. On Lake Nicholas that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Close seasons apply to some species and not others. If the gate is shut, Perry Lake at 0.6 miles is the nearest alternative. For Lake Nicholas, the notice at the access point is the final word.