Little Sugarloaf Lake in Kalamazoo County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Kalamazoo County, Michigan, sits Little Sugarloaf Lake. Lake country bush runs right down to the water. It measures about 93 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The full circuit measures close to 1.7 miles on foot. The nearest place of any size is Schoolcraft, 2.8 miles away. Portage lies 4.3 miles off, Vicksburg another 5.9 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Little Sugarloaf Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Reported across Kalamazoo County: bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Little Sugarloaf Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 72°F in July and bottoms out near 23°F in January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. Climate figures give an open season running late March to mid December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. The season on Little Sugarloaf Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Public data records a pier about half a mile out. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Rules at Little Sugarloaf Lake are worth checking on the day.