Lakeville Lake near Lake Orion: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Michigan holds Lakeville Lake, in Oakland County. Rolling bush runs right down to the water. Roughly 444 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. Size puts it in the front rank of our Oakland County list. Some 5.5 miles away sits Lake Orion, the nearest settlement. Further out sit Oxford (5.8 miles) and Romeo (7.3 miles). Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lakeville Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Public occurrence data for Oakland County names bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. The near bank of Lakeville Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 22°F and July at about 70°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Lakeville Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Mapping shows a ramp about half a mile from the shore. Smith's Landing is the mapped marina, about half a mile away. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. There are toilets half a mile off. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Round Lake at 0.9 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Lakeville Lake if anything is unclear.