Fishing at Horseshoe Lake, Missaukee County, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Horseshoe Lake belongs to Missaukee County. Elevation runs to 1,165 feet. It covers about 23 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. For supplies, Kalkaska is 18 miles out. It is 112 miles to Grand Rapids, the nearest city. The county edge is within a short distance of the bank.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Depth remains unrecorded, so treat the first session as a survey. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Open biodiversity records for Missaukee County list white sucker, johnny darter and brook trout. The list covers the county rather than this water alone, so treat it as a guide. Horseshoe Lake responds to conditions more than to tactics.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 67°F, the coldest about 18°F. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice is part of the season here, ending near mid April. Climate figures give an open season running mid April to early December. The strong weeks are the first after break-up and the last before the freeze. At Horseshoe Lake the season follows that pattern closely.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access status is simply unknown for this water. There is a jetty 110 yards off, worth knowing on a busy day. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Barbless rules turn up on managed water more often than not. Failing this one, try Fagan Lake, 2.2 miles away. For Horseshoe Lake, the notice at the access point is the final word.