Devils Lake Fishing near Alpena, Michigan

• Overview

  Devils Lake lies within the bounds of Alpena County, Michigan. Elevation runs to 646 feet. It runs to roughly 105 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It is low-lying compared with other Michigan water we list. Head to Alpena, 6.8 miles away, for anything you forgot. For a city, Greater Sudbury is 149 miles off. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Devils Lake

  No figure exists for depth, so let the water show you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Fish documented in Alpena County include rainbow smelt, common carp, lake whitefish, white sucker and alewife. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. Anyone new to Devils Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 67°F, while January sits near 19°F. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The lid arrives early and lasts until roughly mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about mid December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Devils Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Season dates differ by species, so read the table. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Middle Lake is 1.7 miles off. For Devils Lake in particular, ask before you travel.