Pigeon Lake Fishing near Beechwood, Michigan

• Overview

  Pigeon Lake is an Ottawa County water, Michigan side. The water sits 577 feet up. It measures about 76 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The whole outline is near 1.9 miles, and most of it is walkable. It is low-lying compared with other Michigan water we list. The nearest place of any size is Beechwood, 8.3 miles away. After that come Holland at 9.3 miles and Grand Haven at 11 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Pigeon Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Ottawa County, recorded fish include gizzard shad, common carp and alewife. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Pigeon Lake gives up its fish to patience rather than distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 71°F; the cold one sits at 25°F. The swings are modest, so patterns change slowly. In a normal year the cover is thin and short-lived. November and March are the quiet, comfortable months to be out. Pigeon Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. A car park lies half a mile away, so the walk in is short. There is a mapped landing stage half a mile away. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Sloan Pond, 1.3 miles out. None of that is settled for Pigeon Lake in what we hold.