Rothrick Lake near Marshall: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Out in Calhoun County, Michigan, sits Rothrick Lake. It stands 915 feet above sea level. About 11 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Supplies mean a trip to Marshall, 3.8 miles off. It is 35 miles to Lansing, the nearest city. Within a short drive: Chapin Lake 1.2 miles away, Buckhorn Lake 1.7 miles, Sherman Court Pond 4.1 miles away, Lake of the Woods 4.5 miles and Winnipeg Lake 4.6 miles away. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Rothrick Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Calhoun County records list bluegill, largemouth bass and black crappie among the fish reported. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Read Rothrick Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 71°F in July and bottom out at 22°F in January. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late March. The open-water window runs from around late March to about mid December in an average year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Rothrick Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  No public source sets out the position on this bank. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. Failing this one, try Chapin Lake, 1.2 miles away. Check the position at Rothrick Lake before loading the car.