Fishing Orchard Lake in Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  Orchard Lake sits within Oakland County in Michigan. What surrounds it is lake country bush. At some 897 acres it is far too large to cover on foot in a day. Some 6.2 miles of bank gives room to move when the wind turns. Few waters listed in Oakland County are bigger. You are 0.6 miles from Orchard Lake. It is 17 miles to Sterling Heights, the nearest city. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Orchard Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. At Orchard Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 22°F in January to roughly 71°F in July. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly late March. Open water usually runs from late March until about mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Time your trip to Orchard Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. You will be walking about half a mile from the nearest car park. A jetty or pier is mapped about half a mile from here. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Ask locally about Orchard Lake if anything is unclear.