Fishing Grass Lake

Grass Lake offers excellent bluegill fishing with 99% of fish exceeding 6 inches and abundant 7-8 inch fish, plus angler reports of 11-inchers. The 382-acre flooding is dominated by bluegill (47% of catch) and pumpkinseed (27% of catch), both providing quality panfishing opportunities. Black crappie run large at 10-13 inches but younger fish are scarce, suggesting periodic strong spawning years. Largemouth bass provide excellent predator fishing with fish up to 21 inches and age 12 fish averaging 20 inches, though growth runs slightly below average at -0.6 inches. Northern pike exceed the 24-inch minimum over half the time and show above-average growth (+0.5 inches), particularly for young fish. The lake is extremely shallow with maximum depth of 10 feet near the central island and most areas under 4 feet deep with muck bottom. Extensive aquatic vegetation provides excellent habitat, though pike likely stress during hot summer months due to lack of cool water refuge. The lake experiences partial winterkills historically but populations rebound well. Fishing pressure runs high during panfish spawning with 2-6 boat trailers daily during survey periods. Black spot parasites are common on most fish but don't affect fishing quality. The minimal shoreline development and state forest ownership maintain excellent habitat quality.