Hattie Lake in Gogebic County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Hattie Lake lies in Gogebic County, Michigan. The setting is lake country bush. With some 27 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. The edge runs 1.2 miles or so, easy to work in an afternoon. It is high ground by Michigan standards. Start from Eagle River, 24 miles down the road. It is 137 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Hattie Lake

  We hold no depth figure for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Open biodiversity records for Gogebic County list bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. On Hattie Lake the obvious spot is not always the productive one.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 65°F, the coldest about 9°F. The year runs cold to warm and back, with clear transitions. Look for the thaw near late April; the fishing lifts straight after. Break-up sits around late April on average, with the water closing again about late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. On Hattie Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. Nothing is mapped in the way of a ramp or car park within a short radius. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Fishing rules and camping rules are set separately here. If the gate is shut, Maud Lake at 0.5 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the current arrangement for Hattie Lake.