Fishing at Pontiac Lake, Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  Pontiac Lake lies in Oakland County, Michigan. Height above sea level is 958 feet. About 633 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. Shoreline length is close to 9.4 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. It is among the larger waters listed here for Oakland County. The closest town, Waterford, is 2.7 miles distant. Clarkston follows at 5 miles, then Keego Harbor at 6.9 miles. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Pontiac Lake

  Recorded depth comes to 34 ft. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Pontiac Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 70°F, with January the cold end at about 22°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Count the season from break-up, usually early April. Averages place the thaw at early April and the freeze at mid December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. Pontiac Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The ground here is public, which usually keeps access simple. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. Mapping shows parking within half a mile. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Somewhere to sit and eat is half a mile out. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Tull Lake sits 1.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Check the position on Pontiac Lake before loading the car.