Drake Lake near West Ishpeming: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  The Marquette County entry here is Drake Lake, in Michigan. The country here is rolling bush. It runs to roughly 31 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. It is high ground by Michigan standards. The town to know is West Ishpeming, 12 miles out. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 124 miles away. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Drake Lake

  Our records hold no depth for this water. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Marquette County include white sucker, yellow perch, rainbow smelt and smallmouth bass. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. Drake Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 13°F to 64°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. Open water usually runs from mid April until about late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. Plan any trip to Drake Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Part of this sits inside or beside Michigan North Woods Club, so read the notices. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Little Drake Lake sits 0.3 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Drake Lake.