Staley Lake Fishing in Crawford County, Michigan

• Overview

  Staley Lake falls in Crawford County, part of Michigan. It sits at 1,158 feet above sea level. At roughly 4 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. Most waters listed here for Crawford County are larger. Nearest place of any size is Grayling, 4.7 miles away. After that come Roscommon at 9.7 miles and Saint Helen at 22 miles. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Staley Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Public occurrence data for Crawford County names white sucker, rock bass and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. On Staley Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The year swings from about 17°F in January to roughly 67°F in July. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near early December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Staley Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No built facilities appear in mapping around this water. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. Kneff Lakes at 2.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Check the position on Staley Lake before loading the car.