Fishing Turtle Lake in Ogemaw County, Michigan

• Overview

  Turtle Lake sits in Ogemaw County, out in Michigan. The country here is lake country bush. Surface area runs to about 8 acres — small enough to read in one session. You are 0.9 miles from Skidway Lake. After that come West Branch at 11 miles and Standish at 15 miles. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Turtle Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Ogemaw County records list bluegill, rock bass and pink salmon among the fish reported. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. On Turtle Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  On the long-term average, July reads 68°F and January reads 18°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from early April. Open water usually runs from early April until about mid December. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. Turtle Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. There is a ramp at Elbow Lake Boat Launch, half a mile out. Parking is not close: half a mile from the bank, and no nearer option is mapped. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Where the road in crosses private land, ask first. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. For a change of water, Bush Lake is 0.3 miles distant. What applies at Turtle Lake may have changed since it was mapped.