Grass Lake, Jackson County Fishing
A 353-acre Michigan lake in Jackson County.
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Grass Lake, Jackson County in brief
The state lake layer measures Grass Lake, Jackson County at 353 acres; it lies in Jackson County. For fuel and groceries, Grass Lake is under a mile off. It sits on the Lower Peninsula inside the Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit of the MDNR. It drains to the Southeastern Lake Michigan watershed in the Southern Michigan/Northern Indiana Drift Plains ecoregion.
Trailers launch at 1 public launch. Summer satellite readings put clarity near 5.5 feet in 2023.
The fish list for Grass Lake, Jackson County
Fish Atlas tally for Grass Lake, Jackson County
| Species | Atlas records | Years |
|---|---|---|
| Central mudminnow | 1 | 1927 |
| Fathead minnow | 1 | 1927 |
MDNR Fish Atlas and Family Friendly Fishing lists, MDNR stocking table, checked October 2026. Older collections are history, not a current survey.
Where to launch on Grass Lake, Jackson County
- Grass Lake County Parkboat ramp; Jackson County
Boat launches by Grass Lake, Jackson County
- Gilletts Lake Boat AccessGilletts Lake, 5 miles west
- Portage Lake Boat Access near Grass LakePortage Lake, 5 miles north
- Center Lake Boat AccessCenter Lake, 5 miles southwest
- Crooked Lake Boat Access near ChelseaCrooked Lake, 7 miles northeast
- Sugarloaf Lake Boat Access near ChelseaSugarloaf Lake, 7 miles northeast
- Doyle Lake Boat AccessDoyle Lake, 7 miles northeast
MDNR Parks and Recreation boat access sites and MDNR fishing sites, checked October 2026.
Clarity trend at Grass Lake, Jackson County
EGLE averages Landsat images from July to September for Grass Lake, Jackson County; values are converted here from meters to feet.
Chlorophyll a in 2023: 12.94 micrograms per liter.
EGLE Michigan Inland Lakes Water Clarity layer (Landsat, July to September), checked October 2026. Depth is not published here: the layer depth fields are unreliable.
Limits and seasons for Grass Lake, Jackson County
| Species | Limit | Season |
|---|---|---|
| Largemouth and smallmouth bass | 5 in any combination; minimum 14 inches | Possession: Sat. before Memorial Day – Dec. 31; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Walleye (Lower Peninsula) | 5; minimum 15 inches | Last Sat. in April – March 15 |
| Northern pike (Lower Peninsula) | 2; minimum 24 inches | Last Sat. in April – March 15 |
| Muskellunge | Only 1 per angler per license year (April 1 – March 31); mandatory harvest registration within 24 hours; minimum 42 inches (46, 50 or 38 inches on listed waters) | Possession: 1st Sat. in June – March 15; catch-and-immediate-release open all year |
| Yellow perch | 25 | Open all year |
| Sunfish and crappie | 25 in any combination of the listed species | Open all year |
| Channel catfish | 10; minimum 12 inches | Open all year |
| Flathead catfish | 5; minimum 15 inches | Open all year |
| White bass | 10 | Open all year |
| Cisco and whitefish | 5 in any combination | Open all year |
| Burbot | 5 | Open all year |
| Trout in unclassified lakes | 5, no more than 3 of which may be 15 inches or greater; minimum 8 inches | Open all year |
Statewide rows for the Lower Peninsula are shown for Grass Lake, Jackson County; the trout row follows its MDNR lake Type when it has one.
2026 Michigan Fishing Regulations (April 1, 2026 to March 31, 2027), statewide tables and county exceptions, checked October 2026.
For the smallmouth herePiscifun AlinoX 300 low profile baitcaster34% OFFSale $104.99 Neighbor lakes of Grass Lake, Jackson County, measured
| Lake | Distance | Acres | Launches | Clarity ft | Fish listed |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Grass Lake, Jackson County | 353 | 1 | 5.5 | 0 | |
| Wolf Lake, Jackson County | 5 miles south | 398 | 1 | 6.4 | 1 |
| Gilletts Lake | 5 miles west | 334 | 1 | 5.1 | 1 |
| Portage Lake, Jackson County | 5 miles north | 398 | 1 | 7.1 | 10 |
| Bessey Lake | 6 miles southeast | 57 | 0 | 11.2 | 1 |
| Center Lake, Jackson County | 6 miles southwest | 848 | 2 | 6.6 | 0 |
EGLE inland lake layer, MDNR access sites and Fish Atlas.
What sits close to Grass Lake, Jackson County
Lakes to try next to Grass Lake, Jackson County
- Wolf Lake, Jackson County5 miles south
- Gilletts Lake5 miles west
- Portage Lake, Jackson County5 miles north
- Bessey Lake6 miles southeast
- Center Lake, Jackson County6 miles southwest
Where to pick up bait for Grass Lake, Jackson County
- The Minnow Bucketbait and tackle shop, Jackson, 5 miles
- Lock & Key Storagemarina, Napoleon, 7 miles
- Vineyard Lake Marina IImarina, Brooklyn, 11 miles
- Eagle Point Marina & Boat Clubmarina, Clarklake, 12 miles
- Irish Hills Marina & Boat Storagebait and tackle shop, Brooklyn, 14 miles
- Docksidesupply.Commarina, Onsted, 14 miles
Charter captains and guides near Grass Lake, Jackson County
- Charters by Gregcharter, Belleville, (734) 796-4948
- Michigan Guide Inccharter, Novi, (248) 305-7337
- Murphys Fish Taxidermyfishing guide, Howell, (517) 548-6857
Towns that put you close to Grass Lake, Jackson County
- Grass Lakeunder a mile
- Michigan Center6 miles
- Napoleon7 miles
The counties around Grass Lake, Jackson County
- Jackson Countyseat: Jackson
Piscifun spinning and baitcasting picks for Grass Lake, Jackson County
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Identifying the fish of Grass Lake, Jackson County
Photo: Robert Colletta, Public domain
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Photo: USFWS Mountain Prairie, Public domain
Photo: Nick Loveland, CC0
Photo: Eric Engbretson for U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, Public domain
What to know ahead of a day at Grass Lake, Jackson County
Which MDNR unit manages Grass Lake, Jackson County?
Jackson County, Southern Lake Michigan Management Unit, under a mile from Grass Lake.
What surface area does EGLE give Grass Lake, Jackson County?
The state layer shows 353 acres.
Is there a ramp for trailers on Grass Lake, Jackson County?
1 public launch, led by Grass Lake County Park.
What bites in Grass Lake, Jackson County?
No fish list exists for it.
What are the walleye limits on Grass Lake, Jackson County?
Walleye (Lower Peninsula): 5; minimum 15 inches; season Last Sat. in April – March 15.
What does a visitor from out of state pay for Grass Lake, Jackson County?
Anglers 17 and older carry a Michigan all-species fishing license: $26 a year for residents, $76 for nonresidents, $11 for seniors or $10 for one day.
How far can you see into Grass Lake, Jackson County?
About 5.5 feet of Secchi depth in 2023, from EGLE satellite data.
Which tackle store sits handiest to Grass Lake, Jackson County?
The Minnow Bucket is the nearest, 5 miles away.
Line up a day on Grass Lake, Jackson County
Michigan license prices and limits are one click away.