Autio Lake near West Ishpeming: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Autio Lake is listed under Marquette County, Michigan. It lies 1,562 feet above sea level. About 12 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Michigan listings. Start from West Ishpeming, 10 miles down the road. Ishpeming follows at 12 miles, then Negaunee at 15 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Autio Lake

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Marquette County records list white sucker, yellow perch, rainbow smelt and smallmouth bass among the fish reported. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Treat Autio Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 64°F in July and bottoms out near 11°F in January. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. Count the season from break-up, usually late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about late November in a typical year. Look to early summer and the first cool weeks of autumn. It sets the rhythm of the year at Autio Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Take the rules with you rather than trusting memory. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Mud Lake, 0.8 miles out. Nothing here settles the position at Autio Lake for certain.