Fishing at Pleasant Lake, Livingston County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Livingston County entry here is Pleasant Lake, in Michigan. The setting is rolling bush on every side. With some 100 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The full circuit measures close to 1.7 miles on foot. For a base, Pinckney sits 4 miles out. Ann Arbor is the closest city, 19 miles away. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Pleasant Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Records held for Livingston County cover bluegill, largemouth bass and black crappie. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Treat Pleasant Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 70°F and January reads 22°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late March. The open-water window runs from around late March to about mid December in an average year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It sets the rhythm of the year at Pleasant Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. You can leave the car about half a mile from the water. Mapping shows a jetty some half a mile off. A camping area sits within half a mile of here. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. For a change of water, Triangle Lake is 1.2 miles distant. Check the position on Pleasant Lake before loading the car.