Shear Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Shear Lake is an Oscoda County water, Michigan side. It sits at 978 feet above sea level. It measures about 25 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. Bank access stretches around 1.0 miles in total. 11 miles away sits Mio, the nearest town. Then Hubbard Lake, 20 miles, and Lewiston, 20 miles. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Shear Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Open biodiversity records for Oscoda County list largemouth bass, white sucker, bluegill, brown trout and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Treat Shear Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 67°F and January near 17°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Hard water holds through the cold months, breaking up near mid April. From about mid April to around early December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Shear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A parking area is marked roughly half a mile out. A pier 50 yards from here gives a platform over deeper water. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. Toilets show in mapping about half a mile away. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Failing this one, try Shamrock Lake, 0.6 miles away. For Shear Lake in particular, ask before you travel.