Fishing at Irish Lake, Houghton County, Michigan

• Overview

  Irish Lake lies in Houghton County, Michigan. Land around it is lake country bush. It covers about 18 acres, so this is small water you can walk round in under an hour. Baraga sits 20 miles from here and is the nearest stop. Beyond it, L'Anse at 20 miles and Iron River at 33 miles. No boundary runs near, so the county rules hold throughout.

• Where to Fish on Irish Lake

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Weed, then depth: that is the order to fish a water of this kind. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, bloater, cisco and yellow perch. Take it as the county picture rather than a promise for this water. The shape of Irish Lake decides where the fish sit.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 11°F in January and 65°F in July. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Ice fishing carries the winter, and the water opens about late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. The season on Irish Lake rarely departs from it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. There is a ramp at Estes Lake Boat Launch, half a mile out. For walleye, a jig and minnow near the bottom is the standard; evenings beat middays. Rules for this water may differ from the county norm. Check whether bait restrictions apply before you buy any. Estes Lake, 0.6 miles away, makes the obvious fallback. Nothing here settles the position at Irish Lake for certain.