DeGroote Lake in Menominee County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  DeGroote Lake lies in Menominee County, in Michigan. Land around it is mixed forest. Roughly 34 acres: a morning covers one end, an afternoon the other. Norway at 26 miles is the nearest place to stop. Escanaba is 28 miles away, with Menominee at 28 miles. What else is close: Hoglund Lake just 2.9 miles, Wagner Lake after 3.8 miles, Westman Lake just 7 miles, Wire Grass Lake after 7.9 miles and Fisher Lake just 8.5 miles. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on DeGroote 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. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Across Menominee County, recorded fish include white sucker, johnny darter, brown trout and yellow perch. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. On DeGroote Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 68°F and January near 15°F. Hard water is a season in its own right here. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Break-up near mid April, freeze-up near early December: that is the shape of an average year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. DeGroote Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  We hold no note on access for this one. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Hoglund Lake, 2.9 miles out. Check the position at DeGroote Lake before loading the car.