Fishing at Montague Lake, Clinton County, Michigan

• Overview

  Michigan holds Montague Lake, in Clinton County. What surrounds it is pine and birch. This is a pocket water of some 4 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Our Clinton County list holds plenty of bigger water. Laingsburg sits 5 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Lansing is the closest city, 14 miles away. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Montague Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Survey and observation records for Clinton County include bluegill, pink salmon, yellow perch and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. The shape of Montague Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 21°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near mid December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Time your trip to Montague Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Curtis Lake at 1.1 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Montague Lake.