Horseshoe Lake Fishing in Alcona County, Michigan

• Overview

  Horseshoe Lake lies in Alcona County, in Michigan. Elevation runs to 928 feet. At 15 acres it is the sort of place you fish for an evening rather than a day. Hubbard Lake is the closest town at 16 miles. Beyond it, Mio at 18 miles and Sand Lake at 20 miles. Water in the same corner: Honawan Lake near enough 0.8 miles, Sunny Lake within 1.4 miles, Poplar Lake near enough 1.6 miles, Clear Lake within 2.1 miles and Jenkins Lake near enough 2.1 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  No chart reached our records; the first cast is your sounding. 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. County-wide records name white sucker, rock bass and yellow perch. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Read Horseshoe Lake before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July runs about 67°F on average, January about 18°F. Four clear seasons, with a proper winter at one end. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. It holds true on Horseshoe Lake more years than not.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. There is a slipway at Horseshoe Lake Boat Launch, roughly 170 yards off. You can camp about half a mile away, going by the mapping. Where a permit is needed, the nearest town usually sells it. Where tickets apply, they are sold in the nearest town rather than on the bank. Honawan Lake at 0.8 miles is the sensible second choice. Where Horseshoe Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.