Fishing at Pickerel Lake, Lapeer County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Lapeer County, Pickerel Lake is a Michigan water. It sits at 863 feet above sea level. This is a pocket water of some 10 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Supplies mean a trip to Imlay City, 5.2 miles off. The big place round here is Sterling Heights, 35 miles distant. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Pickerel Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Public occurrence data for Lapeer County names bluegill, largemouth bass and pink salmon. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. Fish Pickerel Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 70°F, with January the cold end at about 21°F. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. It holds true on Pickerel Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Bass Lake, 0.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. What applies at Pickerel Lake may have changed since it was mapped.