Searles Lake near Saint Johns: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Within Clinton County, Michigan, you have Searles Lake. The bank is 699 feet above sea level. At roughly 16 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Saint Johns is the closest place, 3.9 miles off. The nearest city of size is Lansing, 22 miles away. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Searles Lake

  Open data we checked carries no depth for this water. The arms fish better than the open middle whenever the water is up. Built water gives depth close in, which suits a bank angler. Across Clinton County, recorded fish include bluegill, pink salmon, yellow perch, black crappie and largemouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Searles Lake gives up more to patience than to distance.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 21°F to 71°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter locks it down, and early April brings it back. Open water usually runs from early April until about mid December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Anyone fishing Searles Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Boat access is recorded roughly half a mile away. A car park sits roughly half a mile away. A jetty or pier is mapped about 150 yards from here. Mapping records toilets within half a mile. 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. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Check the position on Searles Lake before loading the car.