Island Lake Slough Fishing in Schoolcraft County, Michigan

• Overview

  Set in Schoolcraft County, Island Lake Slough is a Michigan water. It sits at 604 feet above sea level. It runs to roughly 29 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. By elevation it sits in the lower part of our Michigan listings. The closest town, Manistique, is 3.9 miles distant. Beyond it, Munising at 34 miles and Gladstone at 40 miles. No border sits close enough to matter.

• Where to Fish on Island Lake Slough

  We hold no survey for this water; read the slope of the shoreline instead. Read the surface for the wind lane, then fish the edge of it. A natural lake fishes on cover, and cover here means weed and timber. Species logged across Schoolcraft County include rainbow smelt, alewife, bloater, yellow perch and white sucker. What holds for the county may not hold for this water. Island Lake Slough fishes better once you know its edges.

• Seasonal Patterns

  The warmest month averages 65°F, the coldest about 15°F. Expect a real winter and a strong spring after it. The lid usually sets by midwinter and gives way around mid April. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and early December. September and October fish steadily right up to the freeze. Plan any trip to Island Lake Slough around it.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. Mapping shows an empty shoreline: no ramp, no jetty, no marked entry. For the bass here, soft plastics worked slow along cover and a spinnerbait for searching do most of the work. Read any posted signs at the access point rather than assuming. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Failing this one, try Brassel Slough, 0.4 miles away. Confirm access to Island Lake Slough locally before you travel.