Lime Lake near Paw Paw: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Lime Lake belongs to Van Buren County, Michigan. Everything around it is mixed forest. The water covers some 30 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The full circuit measures close to 0.9 miles on foot. Supplies mean a trip to Paw Paw, 3.7 miles off. The nearest city of size is South Bend, 45 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Lime Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Across Van Buren County, recorded fish include bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, pink salmon and black crappie. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Read Lime Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 23°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter locks it down, and late March brings it back. From about late March to around mid December, expect open water on the long-run figures. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Plan around that when you fish Lime Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. Portman Nature Preserve runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. For a change of water, Cedar Lake is 0.6 miles distant. None of that is settled for Lime Lake in what we hold.