Fishing Green Lake in Houghton County, Michigan

• Overview

  Green Lake sits in Houghton County, out in Michigan. The country round it is lake country bush from end to end. Surface area runs to about 3 acres — small enough to read in one session. On size it sits at the modest end of our Houghton County list. Baraga lies 21 miles from the water. It is 129 miles to Thunder Bay, the nearest city. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Green Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Species logged across Houghton County include rainbow smelt, bloater and cisco. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. On Green Lake the quiet end is the one worth the extra effort.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 65°F on average, January about 11°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. Winter locks it down, and late April brings it back. The water is typically free of ice between late April and late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. It sets the rhythm of the year at Green Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Access is unmapped, which usually means a farm track and a walk. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Ask in the nearest town if you are unsure. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Should this one be busy, Dentel Lake is 0.4 miles off. Check the position at Green Lake before loading the car.