Fishing at Olin Lakes, Kent County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Kent County, Olin Lakes is a Michigan water. The water sits 771 feet up. With some 31 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 1.2 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. 4.3 miles away sits Sparta, the nearest town. Grand Rapids is the closest city, 17 miles away. A border sits close enough to be relevant to the paperwork.

• Where to Fish on Olin Lakes

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Kent County cover bluegill, rock bass and johnny darter. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Olin Lakes that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 70°F and January about 21°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Break-up comes around early April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. On Olin Lakes that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Expect a half a mile walk in from where the car goes. A rest area sits about half a mile from the water. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. If the gate is shut, Ke-wag-a-wan Lake at 0.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Olin Lakes if anything is unclear.