Fishing at Hidden Lake, Alger County, Michigan

• Overview

  You will find Hidden Lake in Alger County, Michigan. The surface lies 787 feet up. It covers about 10 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Munising lies 18 miles from the water. After that come Manistique at 23 miles and Gladstone at 28 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Hidden Lake

  The records we hold are silent on depth, so plan to find it yourself. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Fish documented in Alger County include yellow perch, rainbow smelt and northern pike. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Treat Hidden Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 65°F and January near 15°F. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Firm cover through the cold months, then open water from mid April. Ice clears near mid April and comes back about early December in a typical year. Just after the ice goes and just before it returns, the fishing lifts. Hidden Lake runs to its own calendar within the local pattern.

• Tackle & Baits

  No access rule appears in what we hold. No car park, ramp or path is recorded within easy reach of the shore. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Rules for boats are stricter than rules for the bank in many places. Should this one be busy, Connor Lake is 0.7 miles off. Where Hidden Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.