Pickerel Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Pickerel Lake is an Allegan County water, in Michigan. The country here is mixed forest. It covers about 6 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. On size it sits at the modest end of our Allegan County list. Supplies mean a trip to Otsego, 7.3 miles off. It is 27 miles to Grand Rapids, the nearest city. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Pickerel Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Survey and observation records for Allegan County include alewife, rainbow smelt, yellow perch and bloater. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. The near bank of Pickerel Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 71°F, with January the cold end at about 23°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late March. Climate figures give an open season running late March to mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Plan any trip to Pickerel Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. The nearest recorded ramp is Big Lake Boat Launch, half a mile out. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. Carp respond to sweetcorn or boilies fished patiently on the bottom near feeding areas. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Shagnasty Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Rules at Pickerel Lake are worth checking on the day.