Saunders Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Set in Grand Traverse County, Michigan, this is Saunders Lake. The surface lies 840 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 20 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Traverse City sits 8.3 miles from here and is the nearest stop. After that come Greilickville at 8.9 miles and Kingsley at 11 miles. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Saunders Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Grand Traverse County list rock bass, yellow perch and white sucker. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. Treat Saunders Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 69°F in July and bottom out at 20°F in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on Saunders Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. A ramp is mapped within 0.9 miles. The car has to stay half a mile away, which shapes how much tackle you bring. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Failing this one, try Ellis Lake, 1 mile away. Nothing here settles the position at Saunders Lake for certain.