Lake Number Ten, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  This water sits in Kent County, Michigan. Land around it is rolling bush. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Some 6.8 miles away sits Lowell, the nearest settlement. Grand Rapids sits 18 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Lake Number Ten

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Reported across Kent County: bluegill, rock bass and johnny darter. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Lake Number Ten the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 71°F, with January the cold end at about 22°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late March. The open-water window runs from around late March to about mid December in an average year. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. On Lake Number Ten the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Erickson Lake, 1.3 miles away. Treat access at Lake Number Ten as something to verify.