Horseshoe Lake Fishing Guide, Houghton County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Houghton County, Horseshoe Lake is a Michigan water. The surface lies 1,198 feet up. Small at around 9 acres: two anglers spread out cover most of it. Baraga lies 19 miles from the water. Further out sit Ontonagon (21 miles) and L'Anse (21 miles). More in the same country: Clear Lake after 0.2 miles, Bohmier Lake about 0.4 miles, Sandy Lake after 0.8 miles, Pike Lake about 1.6 miles and Emily Lake after 1.7 miles. The nearest edge is a long way off, so local rules apply throughout.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Depth here is unknown, so count the lead down before committing. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Houghton County records list rainbow smelt, bloater and cisco among the fish reported. Species recorded across the county may be limited to a few waters. On Horseshoe Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-term averages put July at about 65°F and January near 13°F. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. The open-water window runs from around late April to about late November in an average year. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Time your trip to Horseshoe Lake by conditions rather than dates.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Clear.lake Boat Launch gives a made launch, half a mile off. A parking area is marked roughly 170 yards out. There are toilets mapped about 160 yards away. Walleye come to jigs worked slow near bottom, and to trolled crankbaits along the drops at dusk. Check whether a boat is allowed before you tow one. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. For a change of water, Clear Lake is 0.2 miles distant. Check the current arrangement for Horseshoe Lake.