Fishing at Fox Lake, Charlevoix County, Michigan

• Overview

  Fox Lake is one of the Charlevoix County waters in Michigan. Elevation runs to 712 feet. The water covers some 74 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Bank access stretches around 1.4 miles in total. Charlevoix sits 27 miles from the bank. It is 143 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Fox Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Species logged across Charlevoix County include rainbow smelt, alewife, shortjaw cisco and bloater. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Treat Fox Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 20°F in January and 66°F in July. Fishing here follows the temperature more than the calendar. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. From about mid April to around mid December, expect open water on the long-run figures. Fish feed hardest at the start and the close of the open season. It sets the rhythm of the year at Fox Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Greenes Lake, 1.5 miles away. Ask locally about Fox Lake if anything is unclear.