Fishing at Fox Lake, Alger County, Michigan

• Overview

  Alger County, Michigan, is where Fox Lake sits. Around the bank it is pine and birch. Small at around 11 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. 30 miles away sits Newberry, the nearest town. The nearest city of size is Green Bay, 173 miles away. What else is close: Panther Lake at 0.4 miles, Buck Lake a shade over 0.4 miles, Pothole Lake at 0.9 miles, Lavender Lake a shade over 1.1 miles and Moccasin Lake at 1.4 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Fox Lake

  Depth is not on record here, which means reading the ground instead. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Alger County, recorded fish include yellow perch, rainbow smelt and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. The shape of Fox Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 64°F on average, January about 17°F. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Ice clears near late April and comes back about early December in a typical year. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. It holds true on Fox Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Panther Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. For Fox Lake in particular, ask before you travel.