Fishing Hawkins Lake in Chippewa County, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Hawkins Lake in Chippewa County, Michigan. Around the bank it is rolling bush. Surface area runs to about 16 acres — small enough to read in one session. It lies lower than most water we list in Michigan. Newberry is the closest town at 33 miles. It is 194 miles to Greater Sudbury, the nearest city. No county line comes close, which keeps the paperwork simple.

• Where to Fish on Hawkins Lake

  No depth figure has reached our records, which makes a plummet useful. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Records held for Chippewa County cover rainbow smelt, bloater, lake whitefish and alewife. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. Hawkins Lake repays a walk before the first cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 64°F and January about 16°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. Break-up comes around late April, and the run that follows is short and strong. Ice usually gives way near late April, and forms again about early December. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. Expect Hawkins Lake to follow that timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. The water borders Whitefish Point Underwater Preserve, so expect the reserve rules to apply. Light line and small metal for the trout; a fly rod earns its place on calm evenings. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Some ground is open by custom rather than by right, so tread carefully. If the gate is shut, McMullan Lakes at 0.9 miles is the nearest alternative. Check the position on Hawkins Lake before loading the car.