Fishing Mountain Lake in Newaygo County, Michigan

• Overview

  Mountain Lake stands in Newaygo County, Michigan. This is lake country bush country. At 16 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Nearest place of any size is Fremont, 13 miles away. Grand Rapids is the closest city, 50 miles away. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Mountain Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. County-wide records name largemouth bass, bluegill and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Mountain Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 21°F in January to roughly 69°F in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. After early April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Break-up near early April, freeze-up near mid December: that is the shape of an average year. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Mountain Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. No launch point is recorded nearby, so this is a bank water unless you carry a boat in. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. For a change of water, Tourcotte Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Signs at Mountain Lake carry more weight than any list.