Fishing McCormick Lake in Genesee County, Michigan

• Overview

  McCormick Lake sits within Genesee County in Michigan. It lies 801 feet above sea level. The water covers some 27 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The closest town, Millington, is 8.1 miles distant. Sterling Heights sits 47 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on McCormick Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Genesee County cover bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon, black crappie and common carp. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On McCormick Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 70°F for July and 21°F for January. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. The lid tends to go about early April and return around mid December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. McCormick Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. You can park half a mile away and walk in from there. Mapping shows a jetty some 160 yards off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Failing this one, try Picnic Lake, 0.2 miles away. Nothing here settles the position at McCormick Lake for certain.