Lac La Belle in Keweenaw County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  The Keweenaw County entry here is Lac La Belle, in Michigan. The surface lies 587 feet up. Roughly 1,245 acres of surface: treat each bay as a water in its own right. Shoreline length is close to 7.5 miles, and each section fishes a little differently. On our Keweenaw County list it sits near the top for size. For a base, Laurium sits 22 miles out. Dollar Bay lies 29 miles off, Houghton another 32 miles. Rules here are straightforward: one county, one set of rules.

• Where to Fish on Lac La Belle

  Nothing in our records gives a depth for this one. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. County-wide records name rainbow smelt, yellow perch, white sucker and cisco. The county figures include rivers and lakes alike. On Lac La Belle the first feature you find is usually worth a session.

• Seasonal Patterns

  July is the warm end of the year here, averaging about 64°F, while January sits near 17°F. The freeze arrives properly here and holds. The freeze runs deep into the year, with break-up near late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. The open run goes from the thaw to the freeze, and April through October covers most of it. Lac La Belle fishes to that pattern most years.

• Tackle & Baits

  Nothing on record says whether the bank is open or closed. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. You can launch from a ramp around half a mile away. There is a marina half a mile away for anyone bringing a boat. The closest car park is half a mile away, so pack accordingly. A pier half a mile from here gives a platform over deeper water. Mapping shows a picnic spot within half a mile. A toilet block sits half a mile away. A phone call first saves an afternoon. Should this one be busy, Deer Lake is 2.1 miles off.