Fishing at Lake Ellen, Iron County, Michigan

• Overview

  The Iron County end of Michigan holds Lake Ellen. It stands 1,385 feet above sea level. It measures about 138 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The full circuit measures close to 3.0 miles on foot. On our Iron County list it sits near the top for size. Nearest town is Crystal Falls, 10 miles off. Green Bay sits 114 miles out, and it is the nearest city worth the name. Being near a boundary, it pays to know which side you are fishing.

• Where to Fish on Lake Ellen

  There is no recorded depth, so work from what you can see. The shallow end warms first and pulls fish in ahead of the rest. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Iron County, recorded fish include brown trout, yellow perch, northern pike and walleye. It is the county picture; the agency list is water-specific. Fish Lake Ellen to its features, not to its size.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Long-run averages give July about 65°F and January about 11°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Winter fishing happens on the ice here, with open water back around late April. The season between ice runs from about late April to late November. Reckon on open water from spring through to late autumn, with May and June the strongest. That is the shape of the year on Lake Ellen.

• Tackle & Baits

  The paperwork position is blank for this one. Records list it as a natural water body rather than an impoundment. There is a ramp at Lake Ellen Boat Launch, half a mile out. You can camp half a mile off, which suits an early start. Rules differ from one water to the next round here. Night access is frequently treated as a separate matter. The nearest alternative is Little Lake Ellen, 0.4 miles out. Where Lake Ellen is concerned, a local answer beats a written one.