Perch Lake Fishing near Kingsley, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Grand Traverse County, Perch Lake is a Michigan water. The bank is 830 feet above sea level. Surface area runs to about 7 acres — small enough to read in one session. Our Grand Traverse County list holds plenty of bigger water. For supplies, Kingsley is 5.1 miles out. Traverse City is 8.9 miles and Greilickville 11 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Perch Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Open biodiversity records for Grand Traverse County list rock bass, yellow perch, white sucker, smallmouth bass and bluegill. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Perch Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 20°F to 68°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly mid December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Perch Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Recorded parking is half a mile off, far enough to travel light. A pier or jetty stands half a mile away, which helps on a crowded bank. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. If the gate is shut, Arbutus Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Signs at Perch Lake carry more weight than any list.