Fishing Horseshoe Lake in Ogemaw County, Michigan

• Overview

  Within Ogemaw County, Michigan, you have Horseshoe Lake. It stands 1,247 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 35 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. The nearest town is Saint Helen, 7.4 miles away. For a city, Lansing is 117 miles off. The boundary is close enough to be worth checking before you fish.

• Where to Fish on Horseshoe Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. A soft bed grows weed late into autumn, which keeps fish shallow. Still water like this holds fish on the edges rather than out in the open. Reported across Ogemaw County: bluegill, rock bass, pink salmon and largemouth bass. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Work Horseshoe Lake in sections rather than trying to cover it.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The seasonal spread runs 17°F to 67°F. Cold winters and warm summers give a wide working range. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. Expect the water usable from around mid April until roughly early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. Anyone fishing Horseshoe Lake regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  The rules here are undocumented as far as public sources go. Access points are not mapped for this water, which suits people who like quiet. Bass water: a Texas-rigged worm near cover, a spinnerbait when you need to cover ground. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. Bear Lake, 0.4 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Horseshoe Lake before loading the car.