Rushmore Lake Fishing in Ottawa County, Michigan

• Overview

  Ottawa County, Michigan, is where Rushmore Lake sits. It sits at 597 feet above sea level. At about 41 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. It is low-lying compared with other Michigan water we list. Jenison lies 1.1 miles from the water. For a city, Grand Rapids is 8.1 miles off. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Rushmore Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Ottawa County records list gizzard shad, common carp and alewife among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. At Rushmore Lake light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 71°F at the top of summer and 23°F at the bottom of winter. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late March. On average, late March opens the water and mid December closes it again. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. On Rushmore Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Mapping records boating here as restricted to permit holders. There is somewhere to leave the car, half a mile off. There is a pier recorded roughly half a mile away. For the catfish, fish bottom baits into the deeper holes and let them sit. A landowner's word beats anything printed elsewhere. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Georgetown Park Lake at 0.2 miles is the sensible second choice. Confirm access to Rushmore Lake locally before you travel.