Little Black Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Little Black Lake is set in Ottawa County, Michigan. The ground round it is rolling bush. Surface area is around 228 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. You are looking at roughly 3.2 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Size puts it in the front rank of our Ottawa County list. The closest town, Ferrysburg, is 2.9 miles distant. Then Norton Shores, 3.4 miles, and Spring Lake, 4 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Little Black Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Ottawa County include gizzard shad, common carp and alewife. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. Fish Little Black Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 24°F to 71°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. The lid usually goes in late March, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. The season between ice runs from about late March to late December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Little Black Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. A platform or pier sits within half a mile. A picnic site half a mile off makes this workable with family in tow. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Lake Lorraine, 1.9 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position at Little Black Lake before loading the car.