Beaufort Lake near L'Anse: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  In Michigan, Beaufort Lake falls inside Baraga County. It sits in rolling bush. About 468 acres, so local knowledge or a boat saves a lot of walking. With 5.7 miles or so of shoreline, boat anglers cover ground the bank cannot. It is among the larger waters listed here for Baraga County. Some 20 miles away sits L'Anse, the nearest settlement. Baraga lies 22 miles off, West Ishpeming another 23 miles. The boundary is near enough that local access rules are worth double-checking.

• Where to Fish on Beaufort Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Public occurrence data for Baraga County names yellow perch, pink salmon, white sucker, walleye and rainbow smelt. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On Beaufort Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 64°F, the coldest about 10°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Ice-out usually falls in late April, and the weeks after it fish hardest. On average, late April opens the water and late November closes it again. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. On Beaufort Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public data does not answer the access question here. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. The slipway at Beaufort Lake Boat Launch is half a mile away. There are toilets mapped about half a mile away. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. George Lake sits 1.1 miles off and takes the overflow. Where Beaufort Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.