Round Lake Fishing in Hillsdale County, Michigan

• Overview

  Michigan holds Round Lake, in Hillsdale County. The ground around here is mixed forest. Surface area is around 77 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 1.5 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. On our Hillsdale County list it sits near the top for size. Head to Reading, 4.1 miles away, for anything you forgot. Fort Wayne sits 56 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Round Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Hillsdale County include bluegill, largemouth bass, yellow perch, black crappie and warmouth. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Round Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 71°F; the cold one sits at 22°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from late March. The season between ice runs from about late March to mid December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. On Round Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Round Lake Public Boat Launch sits about half a mile away and carries the launch. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Hemlock Lake at 1.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Round Lake before loading the car.