Irwin Lake Fishing near Munising, Michigan

• Overview

  Irwin Lake is an Alger County water, in Michigan. The surface lies 794 feet up. About 10 acres of surface, which puts the far bank inside easy sight. Our Alger County list holds plenty of bigger water. Some 13 miles away sits Munising, the nearest settlement. Manistique is 26 miles and Gladstone 32 miles. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Irwin Lake

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. Fish documented in Alger County include yellow perch, rainbow smelt, northern pike and white sucker. Read it as a county summary, not a water-by-water list. Treat Irwin Lake as a water to read rather than to cover.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Between January at about 15°F and July at about 65°F, the water has a wide range to work through. Winter shuts things down for a spell, then spring reopens them fast. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. On average, mid April opens the water and early December closes it again. Right after break-up, and again as the nights sharpen, is when to go. That shapes the year on Irwin Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  We have no record of the rules that apply on this bank. The nearest recorded ramp is Irwin Lake Boat Launch, half a mile out. A car park sits roughly half a mile away. Facilities include toilets around half a mile from here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Parking space is the usual limit rather than the bank itself. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Spot Lake, 0.4 miles away. The position on Irwin Lake is worth confirming on the day.