Bell Lake Fishing near Manistique, Michigan

• Overview

  Within Schoolcraft County, Michigan, you have Bell Lake. This is pine and birch country. Small at around 5 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. It is a small entry by Schoolcraft County standards. The nearest place of any size is Manistique, 17 miles away. Further out sit Munising (20 miles) and Gladstone (35 miles). There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Bell Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Fish documented in Schoolcraft County include rainbow smelt, alewife, bloater and yellow perch. The county list is broader than any single water. Fish Bell Lake to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 65°F and January near 15°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Hard cover is dependable here; it goes around mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Bell Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. There is camping recorded roughly half a mile off. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Little Bass Lake, 0.2 miles out. Nothing on Bell Lake should be assumed from this page alone.