Little Walters Lake in Oakland County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Oakland County end of Michigan holds Little Walters Lake. The ground around here is pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 21 acres — small enough to read in one session. The nearest town is Clarkston, 1 mile away. Then Waterford, 3.9 miles, and Ortonville, 7.3 miles. Other water nearby: Cranberry Lake about 0.4 miles, Parke Lake out at 0.8 miles, Deer Lake about 1.4 miles, Middle Lake out at 1.6 miles and Gulick Lake about 1.7 miles. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Little Walters Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass and yellow perch. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. At Little Walters Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 71°F and January near 22°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late March. Ice clears near late March and comes back about mid December in a typical year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Little Walters Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. A protected area covers this ground, which usually means restrictions on access. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Cranberry Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Nothing on Little Walters Lake should be assumed from this page alone.