Nowland Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Out in Charlevoix County, Michigan, sits Nowland Lake. This is pine and birch country. The water covers some 123 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Bank access stretches around 1.8 miles in total. It ranks high for size among our Charlevoix County listings. Charlevoix sits 5.7 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Green Bay is the closest city, 146 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Nowland Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, alewife, shortjaw cisco, bloater and shortnose cisco. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Nowland Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 20°F in January up to 67°F in July. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to mid December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Nowland Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. The nearest recorded ramp is Nowland Lake Boat Launch, half a mile out. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Should this one be busy, Lake Marion is 1.7 miles off. Check the position on Nowland Lake before loading the car.