Fishing at Donaldson Lake, Marquette County, Michigan

• Overview

  Donaldson Lake is set in Marquette County, Michigan. Mixed forest runs right down to the water. At about 27 acres, a day is enough to walk the shoreline properly. The full circuit measures close to 1.0 miles on foot. It is high ground by Michigan standards. West Ishpeming lies 14 miles from the water. Green Bay is the closest city, 128 miles away. One jurisdiction covers this water end to end.

• Where to Fish on Donaldson Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. Species logged across Marquette County include white sucker, yellow perch, rainbow smelt and smallmouth bass. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Donaldson Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 64°F in July and bottom out at 11°F in January. A hard winter is normal, and the thaw brings a strong few weeks. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. That is the shape of the year on Donaldson Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. There is no mapped parking or launch nearby, which keeps numbers down. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. If the gate is shut, Third Lake at 0.4 miles is the nearest alternative. Ask locally about Donaldson Lake if anything is unclear.