Helen Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Helen Lake lies in Gogebic County, in Michigan. What surrounds it is rolling bush. With some 69 acres of water, there is room for a boat but no need of one. With about 1.7 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. By elevation it is in the upper part of our Michigan listings. The closest town, Eagle River, is 23 miles distant. Green Bay is the closest city, 135 miles away. There is no boundary nearby to worry about.

• Where to Fish on Helen Lake

  There is no published depth for this one, so start shallow and work out. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. County-wide records name bluegill, yellow perch and walleye. Records at this level tell you what is in the area. Helen Lake fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Average temperature peaks around 65°F in July and bottoms out near 9°F in January. Hard water is a season in its own right here. The lid usually goes in late April, which opens the strongest weeks of the year. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Helen Lake fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Boats go in at Clark Lake Boat Launch, roughly half a mile from the water. There are picnic tables half a mile away. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Should this one be busy, Snap Jack Lake is 0.8 miles off. Rules at Helen Lake are worth checking on the day.