Nichols Lake in Newaygo County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Michigan holds Nichols Lake, in Newaygo County. It sits at 827 feet above sea level. With some 161 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. Shoreline comes to about 2.6 miles, small enough to learn in a day. On our Newaygo County list it sits near the top for size. For a base, Baldwin sits 12 miles out. The nearest city of size is Grand Rapids, 54 miles away. A county boundary sits nearby, which can matter for local access rules.

• Where to Fish on Nichols Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Newaygo County records list largemouth bass, bluegill, yellow perch and johnny darter among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Nichols Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate records put July near 69°F and January near 20°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about mid December. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. Time your trip to Nichols Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Picnic facilities are recorded some half a mile out. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Lake of the Woods is 0.4 miles distant. Check the position on Nichols Lake before loading the car.