Sears Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Sears Lake is an Oakland County water, Michigan side. It lies 978 feet above sea level. Surface area is around 55 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The edge runs 1.5 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. Milford lies 2.7 miles from the water. Ann Arbor sits 22 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. The line between counties passes nearby, which can change who manages the water.

• Where to Fish on Sears Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Work Sears Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 71°F and January reads 22°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around early April. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about early April until roughly mid December. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Sears Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Parking sits half a mile out, which makes for a walk with tackle. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Pickett Lake, 1.1 miles out. Where Sears Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.