Fishing McWatty Lake in Clare County, Michigan

• Overview

  McWatty Lake is listed under Clare County, Michigan. The setting is pine and birch. Small at around 23 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Harrison is the closest town at 1.1 miles. Grand Rapids sits 86 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on McWatty Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Clare County records list bluegill, largemouth bass, pink salmon, northern pike and black crappie among the fish reported. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. McWatty Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 68°F and January near 18°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at early December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at McWatty Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. There is a launch about half a mile from the bank. Little Long Lake Boat Launch gives parking half a mile away. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Little Long Lake is 0.6 miles off. Nothing on McWatty Lake should be assumed from this page alone.