Tray Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Tray Lake is set in Oakland County, Michigan. The setting is mixed forest. Nearest town is Milford, 3.4 miles off. Wolverine Lake follows at 4.6 miles, then Walled Lake at 5.5 miles. Alternatives close at hand: Cranberry Lake about 0.4 miles, Lake Ona 0.7 miles away, Lake Sherwood about 1.2 miles, Mud Lake 1.3 miles away and Bogie Lake about 1.7 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Tray Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Species logged across Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Read Tray Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 71°F; by January the average is down near 22°F. Winter shuts the surface down for months. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around early April. Expect the water usable from around early April until roughly mid December. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. On Tray Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. A car park sits roughly half a mile away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Should this one be busy, Cranberry Lake is 0.4 miles off. Confirm before you fish Tray Lake.