Lime Lake Fishing near Spring Arbor, Michigan

• Overview

  Within Jackson County, Michigan, you have Lime Lake. What surrounds it is pine and birch. It runs to roughly 99 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The shoreline runs about 3.8 miles, so it pays to pick a stretch and stay with it. 1.2 miles away sits Spring Arbor, the nearest town. Lansing is the closest city, 38 miles away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Lime Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Jackson County include bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and black crappie. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Treat Lime Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 71°F on average, January about 22°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Break-up comes around late March, and the run that follows is short and strong. Expect the water usable from around late March until roughly mid December. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It holds true on Lime Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A ramp is mapped within half a mile. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. There are toilets half a mile off. 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. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. Spring Arbor Lakes at 2.5 miles is the sensible second choice. For Lime Lake in particular, ask before you travel.