Mud Lake Fishing near Clare, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Mud Lake in Clare County, Michigan. It lies 791 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 8 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. It is a small entry by Clare County standards. Clare is the closest town at 8.1 miles. It is 81 miles to Lansing, the nearest city. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Records held for Clare County cover bluegill, largemouth bass and pink salmon. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Mud Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 19°F in January and 69°F in July. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Once it clears, about early April, the fishing comes on quickly. The open-water window runs from around early April to about mid December in an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Plan any trip to Mud Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing in our records says who may fish here. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Round Lake, 0.6 miles out. Confirm access to Mud Lake locally before you travel.