Lotus Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Michigan holds Lotus Lake, in Oakland County. It sits at 968 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 195 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. It ranks high for size among our Oakland County listings. Head to Waterford, 0.8 miles away, for anything you forgot. Further out sit Clarkston (2.7 miles) and Keego Harbor (7.4 miles). No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Lotus Lake

  Our records carry no depth, so judge it from the bank. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Records held for Oakland County cover bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Work Lotus Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 70°F and January at 22°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. That is the shape of the year on Lotus Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Public data records a boat ramp half a mile out. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. The nearest alternative is Lester Lake, 0.6 miles out. Check the position at Lotus Lake before loading the car.