Fishing McWithy Lake in Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Oakland County end of Michigan holds McWithy Lake. The surroundings are lake country bush. About 23 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. The edge runs 1.0 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Waterford sits 5.3 miles from the bank. For a city, Sterling Heights is 24 miles off. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on McWithy Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Public occurrence data for Oakland County names bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. The shape of McWithy Lake rewards a slow walk along one bank.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 22°F to 71°F. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Expect a solid lid for months and a thaw around early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. McWithy Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The access position is unclear from public sources. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A carry of half a mile from the nearest parking is the price of fishing here. A pier or jetty stands 0.9 miles away, which helps on a crowded bank. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Should this one be busy, Mead Lake is 0.8 miles off. Confirm before you fish McWithy Lake.