Perch Lake near Lake Isabella: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Perch Lake stands in Isabella County, Michigan. The water sits 886 feet up. The water measures roughly 16 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Lake Isabella is the closest place, 3.4 miles off. Grand Rapids is the closest city, 61 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing. Counting the whole county, there are over twenty.

• Where to Fish on Perch Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Open biodiversity records for Isabella County list johnny darter, white sucker, rainbow darter and rock bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. At Perch Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 20°F in January to roughly 69°F in July. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Once it clears, about early April, the fishing comes on quickly. The season between ice runs from about early April to mid December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Time your trip to Perch Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  There is no clear statement anywhere on who can fish it. The nearest mapped parking is half a mile away, so the last stretch is on foot. Sherman Section 12 Hunt Club takes in this water; protected-area rules will apply. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Failing this one, try Lake of the Hills, 0.5 miles away. Confirm before you fish Perch Lake.