Mud Lake in Shiawassee County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  You will find Mud Lake in Shiawassee County, Michigan. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and birch. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. The closest town, Argentine, is 3 miles distant. It is 34 miles to Lansing, the nearest city. Local rules may differ a few miles either side of here.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Records held for Shiawassee County cover bluegill, northern pike, largemouth bass and pink salmon. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. At Mud Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  In an average year July sits at 70°F and January at 21°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Climate figures give an open season running early April to mid December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. That shapes the year on Mud Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Should this one be busy, Shaw Lake is 0.6 miles off. Confirm before you fish Mud Lake.