Steele Lake Fishing in Kent County, Michigan

• Overview

  Steele Lake falls in Kent County, part of Michigan. Everything around it is lake country bush. Small at around 9 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. The town to know is Rockford, 7.5 miles out. Grand Rapids is the closest city, 16 miles away. Round about: Whitten Lake (0.8 miles), Bush Lake the better part of 0.9 miles, Toohey Lake (1 mile), Duga Lake the better part of 1.1 miles and Muskrat Lake (1.2 miles). The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Steele Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Kent County include bluegill, rock bass, johnny darter and largemouth bass. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Take Steele Lake a stretch at a time.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 70°F; the cold one sits at 21°F. Spring and autumn carry the fishing; summer and winter test it. Ice-out usually falls in early April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. Ice usually gives way near early April, and forms again about mid December. June through September is the settled part of the year, with the shoulders busier for fish. The season on Steele Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. The nearest alternative is Whitten Lake, 0.8 miles out. The position on Steele Lake is worth confirming on the day.