Johnson Lake Fishing near Gwinn, Michigan

• Overview

  Look for Johnson Lake in the Marquette County part of Michigan. It sits in rolling bush. The water covers some 81 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. The bank runs about 1.6 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. On our Marquette County list it sits near the top for size. The town to know is Gwinn, 1.4 miles out. For a city, Green Bay is 124 miles off. It sits well inside its county, with no border complications.

• Where to Fish on Johnson Lake

  Depth is unknown to us, and the shoreline is the better guide. 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 Marquette County: white sucker, yellow perch and rainbow smelt. County data is a starting point rather than a guarantee. The near bank of Johnson Lake is often the one people ignore.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 65°F in July and bottom out at 14°F in January. Winter puts a hard lid on this one. The open season starts with the thaw, near enough mid April. On the long-run averages the water opens up around mid April and starts locking again about late November. The shoulder weeks of the open season are the productive ones. On Johnson Lake that shapes the whole year.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether the bank is open is not something our records settle. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Johnson Lake Boat Launch gives a made launch, half a mile off. 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. Where the way in crosses private ground, ask first. For a change of water, Blue Lake is 0.4 miles distant. Nothing on Johnson Lake should be assumed from this page alone.