Kemp Lake near Gwinn: Fishing Spots, Seasons and Access

• Overview

  Kemp Lake falls in Dickinson County, part of Michigan. The surroundings are mixed forest. The water measures roughly 11 acres, so nothing here is far from anything else. Shoreline comes to about 1.0 miles, small enough to learn in a day. Nearest place of any size is Gwinn, 14 miles away. Then West Ishpeming, 19 miles, and K. I. Sawyer Air Force Base, 19 miles. The county line is nowhere near, so one local authority covers the water.

• Where to Fish on Kemp Lake

  Without a survey to go on, judge depth from how the bank falls away. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Dickinson County include bluegill, walleye and yellow perch. Those are county-wide records, so not every one of them will be in this water. At Kemp Lake the water rewards a slow, careful approach.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages here run 65°F at the top of summer and 13°F at the bottom of winter. Cold locks it up for a good stretch each year. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. The season between ice runs from about mid April to late November. May into June fishes hardest, and September gives a second good stretch before the lid returns. It sets the rhythm of the year at Kemp Lake.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Public mapping records no formal access here, so plan for a walk and soft ground. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Check locally before you travel, because a wasted drive is a long one. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Failing this one, try Cady Lake, 1.5 miles away. The position on Kemp Lake is worth confirming on the day.