Fishing at Coontail Lake, Baraga County, Michigan

• Overview

  This water sits in Baraga County, Michigan. It sits in mixed forest. This is a pocket water of some 7 acres, and every part of it is reachable from the bank. Most waters listed here for Baraga County are larger. The nearest town is L'Anse, 20 miles away. Thunder Bay sits 134 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. It sits near the edge of the county, so check which rules apply.

• Where to Fish on Coontail Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Survey and observation records for Baraga County include yellow perch, pink salmon, white sucker, walleye and rainbow smelt. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Work Coontail Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 64°F, the coldest about 10°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. At Coontail Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Public sources are silent on who controls the bank. Nothing formal is recorded here: no ramp, no car park, no marked path. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Pequet Lake, 3.3 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Confirm access to Coontail Lake locally before you travel.