Fishing Pickerel Lake in Shiawassee County, Michigan

• Overview

  Michigan holds Pickerel Lake, in Shiawassee County. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. You can fish the entire water from one spot if you pick it well. It is a small entry by Shiawassee County standards. Perry sits 2.4 miles from here and is the nearest stop. For a city, Lansing is 17 miles off. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Pickerel Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Shiawassee County include bluegill, northern pike and largemouth bass. The county list is broader than any single water. At Pickerel Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 70°F on average, January about 21°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near early April. In an average year the thaw lands around early April and the freeze near mid December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. On Pickerel Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. The nearest car park we can see is half a mile out, so expect a walk with your gear. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Perch Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. For Pickerel Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.