Fishing Lake of the Woods in Antrim County, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Lake of the Woods in Antrim County, Michigan. Height above sea level is 738 feet. It runs to roughly 164 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The whole outline is near 2.3 miles, and most of it is walkable. Size puts it in the front rank of our Antrim County list. Nearest place of any size is Bellaire, 5.2 miles away. The nearest city of size is Grand Rapids, 137 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lake of the Woods

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Survey and observation records for Antrim County include brook trout, yellow perch, smallmouth bass and rock bass. The county list is broader than any single water. Lake of the Woods repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 20°F in January to roughly 68°F in July. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at mid December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That shapes the year on Lake of the Woods.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Finn Lake at 0.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Treat access at Lake of the Woods as something to verify.