Lake Big Wolf in Montmorency County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Lake Big Wolf lies in Montmorency County, in Michigan. Height above sea level is 1,204 feet. The water covers some 209 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. You are looking at roughly 3.4 miles of shoreline, with plenty of water between access points. Size puts it in the front rank of our Montmorency County list. The town to know is Lewiston, 1.8 miles out. The nearest city of size is Lansing, 149 miles away. The nearest boundary is a fair way off.

• Where to Fish on Lake Big Wolf

  Depth went unrecorded, which puts the reading back on you. Look for the band where the shallows give up and the bottom falls away. This is a lake, so the margins and the first drop matter most. County-wide records name largemouth bass, bluegill and northern pike. County records show what lives in the area; the local agency holds the water-by-water list. Fish Lake Big Wolf to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Seasonal averages run from 16°F in January up to 67°F in July. The middle months are generous; the ends are demanding. Once it clears, about mid April, the fishing comes on quickly. In an average year the thaw lands around mid April and the freeze near early December. The first weeks of open water and the last are the ones to plan for. It sets the rhythm of the year at Lake Big Wolf.

• Tackle & Baits

  Who may fish here is not settled in anything we hold. This is a natural basin, not a dammed one. Nothing built is recorded close to the bank here. A small crankbait along the drop and a worm in the thick stuff cover the bass. Gates get locked out of season on water like this. Where parking is tight, arriving early solves most problems. Little Wolf Lake, 1 mile away, makes the obvious fallback. For Lake Big Wolf in particular, ask before you travel.