Fishing at Chara Lake, Iron County, Michigan

• Overview

  Chara Lake is one of the Iron County waters in Michigan. The ground round it is pine and birch. It runs to roughly 36 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It sits higher than most water we list in Michigan. Nearest town is Iron River, 5.4 miles off. Green Bay is the closest city, 115 miles away. This one sits near enough to a boundary to be worth checking.

• Where to Fish on Chara Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Iron County records list brown trout, yellow perch and northern pike among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Chara Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 9°F in January up to 65°F in July. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Break-up near late April, freeze-up near late November: that is the shape of an average year. The strongest runs come at either end of the open season. That shapes the year on Chara Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. No made access appears within a short radius, so plan to park on a verge and walk. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. The nearest alternative is Ottawa Lake, 1.4 miles out. Check the position on Chara Lake before loading the car.