Fishing Mercury Lake in Lenawee County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Lenawee County end of Michigan holds Mercury Lake. It stands 1,004 feet above sea level. At 22 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. The nearest place of any size is Manitou Beach-Devils Lake, 3.9 miles away. Brooklyn is 5.3 miles and Napoleon 9 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Mercury Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Fish documented in Lenawee County include bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, rock bass and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Mercury Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 71°F in July and bottoms out near 22°F in January. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. After late March the shallows warm and the fish move up. In an average year the thaw lands around late March and the freeze near mid December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Mercury Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. South Lake at 0.6 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing here settles the position at Mercury Lake for certain.