Fish Lake Fishing near West Ishpeming, Michigan

• Overview

  Fish Lake sits within Marquette County in Michigan. The surroundings are mixed forest. Surface area is around 148 acres, which gives you real water without needing a boat. The bank runs about 2.7 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. It ranks high for size among our Marquette County listings. 12 miles away sits West Ishpeming, the nearest town. Ishpeming is 14 miles away, with Negaunee at 17 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Fish Lake

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Species logged across Marquette County include white sucker, yellow perch and rainbow smelt. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Fish Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Climate normals give 64°F for July and 11°F for January. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. Climate averages put the opening at about late April and the closing near late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Fish Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. It formed naturally, so levels move with rainfall rather than with a gate. We find no slipway, car park or made path within a short radius, so treat access as rough. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some stretches are reserved and marked as such on the ground. The nearest alternative is Mud Lake, 0.7 miles out. For Fish Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.