Loon Lake Fishing in Hillsdale County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Hillsdale County, Michigan, this is Loon Lake. The bank gives way to mixed forest. Surface area runs to about 19 acres — small enough to read in one session. Reading lies 2.6 miles from the water. Quincy follows at 8.2 miles, then Hillsdale at 10 miles. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing. A short walk from the parking spot changes the water completely.

• Where to Fish on Loon 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. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Open biodiversity records for Hillsdale County list bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch and black crappie. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Read Loon Lake for ten minutes before the first cast goes out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 22°F in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late March. On average, late March opens the water and mid December closes it again. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. Plan any trip to Loon Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Paw Paw Lake, 0.2 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Rules at Loon Lake are worth checking on the day.