Whipple Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Whipple Lake sits within Oakland County in Michigan. The water sits 1,030 feet up. The water covers some 89 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Bank access stretches around 2.6 miles in total. On our Oakland County list it sits near the top for size. Clarkston lies 3.7 miles from the water. The big place round here is Sterling Heights, 22 miles distant. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Whipple Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass, yellow perch and rock bass. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Fish Whipple Lake where the bottom changes rather than where it looks deep.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 70°F, while January sits near 22°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about early April. Climate averages put the opening at about early April and the closing near mid December. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Whipple Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Parking is close: a car park sits half a mile from the bank. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Local rules can differ across the county line, so check where you stand. Keep proof of licence with you rather than in the car. Upper Bushman Lake at 0.7 miles is the sensible second choice. Ask locally about Whipple Lake if anything is unclear.