Fishing at Bear Lake, Chippewa County, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Bear Lake in Chippewa County, Michigan. The setting is mixed forest on every side. It measures about 89 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The edge runs 2.3 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. The nearest town is Newberry, 28 miles away. The nearest city of size is Greater Sudbury, 201 miles away. It sits well inside the county, so one set of rules covers it.

• Where to Fish on Bear Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Fish documented in Chippewa County include rainbow smelt, bloater, lake whitefish, alewife and lake trout. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Read Bear Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Expect July to average close to 63°F, with January the cold end at about 16°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. The lid tends to go about late April and return around early December. From the thaw to midsummer the fishing improves week by week. That is the shape of the year on Bear Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. Trout here take small spinners, spoons and, where fly water allows, a nymph or dry. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Browns Lake is 3.6 miles off. Check the current arrangement for Bear Lake.