Mills Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Mills Lake is an Ogemaw County water, in Michigan. It sits in mixed forest. Surface area is around 34 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. Bank access stretches around 1.0 miles in total. Supplies mean a trip to Skidway Lake, 1.6 miles off. West Branch is 13 miles away, with Standish at 15 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Mills Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Reported across Ogemaw County: bluegill, rock bass, pink salmon and largemouth bass. The county list is broader than any single water. On Mills Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 68°F on average, January about 18°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Mills Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Hewey Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Mills Lake.