Gooseneck Lake in Schoolcraft County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Gooseneck Lake stands in Schoolcraft County, Michigan. Elevation runs to 751 feet. It runs to roughly 126 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. A shoreline of some 2.7 miles keeps the choices simple. It is among the larger waters listed here for Schoolcraft County. The town to know is Manistique, 16 miles out. Munising follows at 24 miles, then Gladstone at 27 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Gooseneck Lake

  No published figure covers depth, so learn it as you fish. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Across Schoolcraft County, recorded fish include rainbow smelt, alewife and bloater. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Gooseneck Lake a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 65°F and January near 15°F. The season turns properly here, and fish follow it closely. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly early December. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. That is the shape of the year on Gooseneck Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing we hold confirms whether access is permitted. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A slipway half a mile out gives trailer access. There is a campsite half a mile from the water. There are picnic tables recorded roughly 0.9 miles off. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Failing this one, try Lyman Lake, 0.7 miles away. Ask locally about Gooseneck Lake if anything is unclear.