Spring Lake in Oakland County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Out in Oakland County, Michigan, sits Spring Lake. The ground round it is pine and birch. It covers about 18 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Some 1.8 miles away sits Pontiac, the nearest settlement. Bloomfield Hills is 3.5 miles and Auburn Hills 3.9 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Spring Lake

  Depth is unmeasured here, so let the shoreline guide you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Records held for Oakland County cover bluegill, black crappie and largemouth bass. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Spring Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 72°F and January about 23°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late March. The open-water window runs from around late March to about mid December in an average year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Spring Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Parking is mapped about 140 yards from the bank. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Hadsells Pond at 1.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Spring Lake before loading the car.