Mud Lake near Reading: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Mud Lake is one of the Hillsdale County listings for Michigan. The setting is mixed forest on every side. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Hillsdale County list. Reading lies 2.6 miles from the water. It is 53 miles to Fort Wayne, the nearest city. Two sets of local rules meet not far from this water.

• Where to Fish on Mud Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie and warmouth. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Mud Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 22°F in January up to 71°F in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Ice is part of the season here, ending near late March. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about late March until roughly mid December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. Mud Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Overnight stays are possible half a mile away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. If the gate is shut, Long Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. For Mud Lake in particular, ask before you travel.