Round Lake in Berrien County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Round Lake is set in Berrien County, Michigan. Height above sea level is 745 feet. About 5 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Our Berrien County list holds plenty of bigger water. Nearest town is Buchanan, 3 miles off. The big place round here is South Bend, 14 miles distant. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Round Lake

  Depth is not on record here, so the bank has to tell you. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Berrien County include alewife, rainbow smelt and bloater. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Round Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 72°F; by January the average is down near 24°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter locks it down, and mid March brings it back. Climate figures give an open season running mid March to late December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. At Round Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Clear Lake sits 0.4 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing here settles the position at Round Lake for certain.