Fishing Woodruff Lake in Oakland County, Michigan

• Overview

  Woodruff Lake is an Oakland County water, in Michigan. The ground around here is mixed forest. It runs to roughly 40 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The town to know is Milford, 5.5 miles out. The big place round here is Ann Arbor, 28 miles distant. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Woodruff Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. 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. Survey and observation records for Oakland County include bluegill, black crappie, largemouth bass and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Woodruff Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 70°F in July and bottoms out near 22°F in January. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. Once it clears, about early April, the fishing comes on quickly. Open water usually runs from early April until about mid December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Woodruff Lake runs to that rhythm year in and year out.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. State or provincial rules still apply whatever the bank status. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Charlick Lake, 0.3 miles away. Nothing on Woodruff Lake should be assumed from this page alone.