Inkpot Lake Fishing in Gogebic County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Gogebic County, Michigan, this is Inkpot Lake. Height above sea level is 1,650 feet. It covers about 17 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. It is high ground by Michigan standards. Start from Eagle River, 25 miles down the road. The big place round here is Green Bay, 139 miles distant. The nearest boundary is well away, so one set of rules covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Inkpot Lake

  Depth figures are not published for this one. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. Survey and observation records for Gogebic County include bluegill, yellow perch, walleye, largemouth bass and white sucker. The county list is broader than any single water. On Inkpot Lake that means starting tight and working out.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warm month here averages 65°F; the cold one sits at 9°F. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. From about late April to around late November, expect open water on the long-run figures. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. Plan any trip to Inkpot Lake around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. The water borders University of Notre Dame Environmental Research Center, so reserve rules are likely to apply. 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. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. Should this one be busy, Kickapoo Lake is 0.5 miles off. Where Inkpot Lake is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.