Gopher Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  The Alger County entry here is Gopher Lake, in Michigan. The setting is pine and birch. About 16 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Newberry is the closest place, 29 miles off. For a city, Green Bay is 168 miles off. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing. It is listed as a lake.

• Where to Fish on Gopher Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. County-wide records name yellow perch, rainbow smelt, northern pike and white sucker. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Anyone new to Gopher Lake should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 64°F, the coldest about 16°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. Climate figures give an open season running late April to early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. Anyone fishing Gopher Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Our records carry no access rule either way. Public data shows nothing built here, so treat the whole approach as informal. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. A polite question at the farm gate opens more banks than anything else. Spruce Lake at 0.4 miles is the sensible second choice. Nothing on Gopher Lake should be assumed from this page alone.