Frankes Lake Fishing near Manistique, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Frankes Lake in Schoolcraft County, Michigan. It sits in pine and birch. The water measures roughly 5 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. On size it sits at the modest end of our Schoolcraft County list. The closest town, Manistique, is 13 miles distant. For a city, Green Bay is 132 miles off. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Frankes Lake

  No depth figure appears in our records, so the bank has to tell you. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Records held for Schoolcraft County cover rainbow smelt, alewife, bloater and yellow perch. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. On Frankes Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 65°F; by January the average is down near 15°F. Seasons are distinct, and each one fishes differently. The lid usually goes in mid April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Going by climate averages, expect open water from about mid April until roughly early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Keep it in mind when planning a trip to Frankes Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Cranberry Lake sits 1 mile off and takes the overflow. Where Frankes Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.