Fishing Mallard Pond in Ogemaw County, Michigan

• Overview

  Mallard Pond sits within Ogemaw County in Michigan. It lies 863 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 2 acres — small enough to read in one session. Most waters listed here for Ogemaw County are larger. West Branch at 14 miles is the nearest place to stop. The nearest city of size is Lansing, 119 miles away. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Mallard Pond

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Survey and observation records for Ogemaw County include bluegill, rock bass and pink salmon. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Anyone new to Mallard Pond should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 68°F; the cold one sits at 17°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid usually goes in early April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early April until roughly early December. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. That is the shape of the year on Mallard Pond.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. There is a slipway at Devoe Lake Boat Launch, roughly half a mile off. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. There is a toilet block some half a mile out. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Grousehaven Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Treat Mallard Pond as unsettled until someone local tells you otherwise.