Fishing at Lake Walden, Livingston County, Michigan

• Overview

  Michigan holds Lake Walden, in Livingston County. Land around it is lake country bush. The water covers some 149 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 1.8 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. On our Livingston County list it sits near the top for size. Brighton sits 8 miles from the bank. The nearest city of size is Ann Arbor, 25 miles away. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Lake Walden

  Depth figures are not published for this one. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Livingston County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, black crappie, pink salmon and yellow perch. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Anyone new to Lake Walden should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 22°F to 70°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. From about early April to around mid December, expect open water on the long-run figures. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Lake Walden by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is a mapped slipway roughly half a mile away. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Round Lake sits 1.8 miles off and takes the overflow. Treat Lake Walden as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.