Foxpaw Lake Fishing near Wakefield, Michigan

• Overview

  Foxpaw Lake sits within Gogebic County in Michigan. Beyond the shoreline you have pine and birch. It covers about 12 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Compared with other Michigan water on our list, it sits high. 13 miles away sits Wakefield, the nearest town. The big place round here is Thunder Bay, 145 miles distant. You are close to a county edge here; who manages the access can change within a short drive.

• Where to Fish on Foxpaw Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Records held for Gogebic County cover bluegill, yellow perch and walleye. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. On Foxpaw Lake the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The range across the year is 10°F to 65°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. The lid tends to go about late April and return around late November. The middle of summer slows a little, with dawn and dusk carrying it. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Foxpaw Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Where access is informal, keep it that way by behaving. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. For a change of water, Thrush Lake is 1.1 miles distant. Rules at Foxpaw Lake are worth checking on the day.