North Crooked Lake in Crawford County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  North Crooked Lake sits within Crawford County in Michigan. The bank is 1,214 feet above sea level. It covers about 23 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Around 1.7 miles of margin, front to back. The closest town, Mancelona, is 8.3 miles away. Further out sit Kalkaska (15 miles) and Grayling (16 miles). Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on North Crooked Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Crawford County names white sucker, rock bass and yellow perch. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. On North Crooked Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 17°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It sets the rhythm of the year at North Crooked Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. South Crooked Lake sits 0.7 miles off and takes the overflow. Rules at North Crooked Lake are worth checking on the day.