Fishing Bursaw Marsh in Schoolcraft County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Schoolcraft County end of Michigan holds Bursaw Marsh. This is pine and birch country. At roughly 19 acres, the whole thing is within casting reach of a single walk. The edge runs 1.2 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It is low-lying compared with other Michigan water we list. Manistique at 11 miles is the nearest place to stop. Gladstone lies 29 miles off, Escanaba another 32 miles. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Bursaw Marsh

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Schoolcraft County: rainbow smelt, alewife, bloater, yellow perch and white sucker. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. At Bursaw Marsh light and wind decide more than tackle does.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 15°F at the bottom of winter. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to early December. Late spring and early autumn carry the year between them. At Bursaw Marsh the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. McGinn Lake sits 1.9 miles off and takes the overflow. Nothing on Bursaw Marsh should be assumed from this page alone.