Little Ziegenfuss Lake in Kent County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Kent County end of Michigan holds Little Ziegenfuss Lake. The water sits 810 feet up. About 3 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Our Kent County list holds plenty of bigger water. 4 miles away sits Greenville, the nearest town. For a city, Grand Rapids is 22 miles off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Little Ziegenfuss Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Kent County cover bluegill, rock bass, johnny darter, largemouth bass and black crappie. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. On Little Ziegenfuss Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 21°F in January to roughly 70°F in July. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. On average, early April opens the water and mid December closes it again. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. Anyone fishing Little Ziegenfuss Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing is listed nearby for parking or launching a boat. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Little Blue Lake, 0.4 miles away. For Little Ziegenfuss Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.