Fishing at Toohey Lake, Kent County, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Toohey Lake falls inside Kent County. The country here is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 15 acres — small enough to read in one session. For supplies, Rockford is 8.3 miles out. Beyond it, Belding at 8.8 miles and Greenville at 9.8 miles. Within a short drive: Whitten Lake within 0.4 miles, Lake Cowden after 0.6 miles, Duga Lake within 0.6 miles, Wolf Lake after 0.9 miles and Bush Lake within 0.9 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Toohey Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name bluegill, rock bass, johnny darter, largemouth bass and black crappie. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Toohey Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 70°F, while January sits near 21°F. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly early April. Climate figures give an open season running early April to mid December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. The season on Toohey Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There are toilets half a mile off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Whitten Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Signs at Toohey Lake carry more weight than any list.