Ottowa Lake Fishing near Gaylord, Michigan

• Overview

  Ottowa Lake stands in Otsego County, Michigan. What surrounds it is lake country bush. Small at around 12 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. For supplies, Gaylord is 4.8 miles out. Grand Rapids sits 147 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Ottowa Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Otsego County records list rock bass, white sucker and largemouth bass among the fish reported. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Ottowa Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 67°F; by January the average is down near 17°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Ice-out usually falls in mid April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Averages suggest open water from about mid April through to roughly early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Ottowa Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. If the gate is shut, Chain-O-Lakes at 0.2 miles is the nearest alternative. Where Ottowa Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.