Pettifor Lake Fishing near Gaylord, Michigan

• Overview

  Pettifor Lake falls in Otsego County, part of Michigan. The surface lies 1,257 feet up. At roughly 16 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Gaylord at 6.1 miles is the nearest place to stop. Further out sit Boyne City (15 miles) and Mancelona (17 miles). Other water within reach: Martin Lake lies 0.4 miles on, West Lake at 0.5 miles, Deer Lake lies 0.9 miles on, Lake Twentyseven at 1.1 miles and Flott Lake lies 1.1 miles on. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Pettifor Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Survey and observation records for Otsego County include rock bass, white sucker, largemouth bass and northern pike. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On Pettifor Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 67°F for July and 17°F for January. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Averages place the thaw at mid April and the freeze at early December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. That shapes the year on Pettifor Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. The slipway at Lake Twenty-Seven Public Boat Access is half a mile away. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Martin Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Where Pettifor Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.