Saunders Lake Fishing Guide, Mason County, Michigan

• Overview

  Look for Saunders Lake in Mason County, Michigan. The surface lies 696 feet up. This is a pocket water of some 6 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Our Mason County list holds plenty of bigger water. The closest town, Scottville, is 5.5 miles away. Grand Rapids sits 70 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. This one is safely inside the county line.

• Where to Fish on Saunders Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Species logged across Mason County include rainbow smelt, alewife, bloater, yellow perch and johnny darter. The county list is broader than any single water. The shape of Saunders Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 69°F, with January the cold end at about 21°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from early April. Ice clears near early April and comes back about mid December in a typical year. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. The season on Saunders Lake follows the weather closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. No slipway, car park or made path shows up nearby in mapping, so treat access as rough. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Failing this one, try Bartons Lake, 1.5 miles away. For Saunders Lake in particular, ask before you travel.