Horseshoe Lake, Michigan: Fishing Spots and Seasons

• Overview

  Horseshoe Lake falls in Iron County, part of Michigan. It sits in pine and birch. Surface area runs to about 8 acres — small enough to read in one session. It is one of the smaller waters we list in Iron County. The closest town, Iron River, is 13 miles away. For a city, Green Bay is 117 miles off. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Iron County records list brown trout, yellow perch, northern pike, walleye and white sucker among the fish reported. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. At Horseshoe Lake the first feature you find is worth twenty minutes.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 9°F and July at about 65°F, the water has a wide range to work through. The year splits cleanly: hard water, then open water. After late April the shallows warm and the fish move up. Open water usually runs from late April until about late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. On Horseshoe Lake the same rules apply, with local timing.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. Formal access is not mapped, so the last stretch is likely on foot. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Access can change hands, so last year's answer may not hold. Porcupine Lake, 1.1 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Horseshoe Lake before loading the car.