McIntyre Lake in Livingston County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Livingston County, Michigan, sits McIntyre Lake. The setting is lake country bush on every side. It covers about 12 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Livingston County. 3.4 miles away sits Stockbridge, the nearest town. Ann Arbor is the closest city, 22 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on McIntyre Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Species logged across Livingston County include bluegill, largemouth bass and black crappie. The county list is broader than any single water. Take McIntyre Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 71°F, the coldest about 22°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. Once it clears, about late March, the fishing comes on quickly. Average temperatures cross freezing around late March in spring and again near mid December in autumn. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to McIntyre Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. Unadilla State Wildlife Area runs up to the bank here, which usually means extra restrictions. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Parking is often the real limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. The nearest alternative is McConachie Lake, 0.7 miles out. Confirm before you fish McIntyre Lake.