West Branch Lakes, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  In Michigan, West Branch Lakes belongs to Delta County. Country round the bank runs to pine and birch. It covers about 8 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. The closest town, Manistique, is 17 miles away. For a city, Green Bay is 122 miles off. The nearest boundary is a fair way off. The bank is open in stretches and thick in others.

• Where to Fish on West Branch Lakes

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Fish documented in Delta County include white sucker, alewife, rock bass and yellow perch. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. On West Branch Lakes the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 65°F for July and 15°F for January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The open-water window runs from around mid April to about early December in an average year. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. It sets the rhythm of the year at West Branch Lakes.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Bank access can be seasonal on ground like this. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Bourgois Lake is 0.9 miles off. Confirm access to West Branch Lakes locally before you travel.