Lake Maplehurst Fishing near Elk Rapids, Michigan

• Overview

  In Michigan, Lake Maplehurst falls inside Antrim County. The surface lies 755 feet up. It runs to roughly 67 acres — big enough to hold fish away from the bank, small enough to learn. With about 1.1 miles of edge, you can try several depths in one session. Elk Rapids lies 5.1 miles from the water. It is 135 miles to Green Bay, the nearest city. Rules can differ a short way off, since the county line is near.

• Where to Fish on Lake Maplehurst

  Depth figures are not published for this one. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. On a natural lake the weed line and the shelf beyond it do the work. Across Antrim County, recorded fish include brook trout, yellow perch and smallmouth bass. County records show the wider picture rather than this one place. On Lake Maplehurst a short move beats a long cast.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Temperature averages peak at 68°F in July and bottom out at 22°F in January. A full turn of seasons, with the strongest sport on either side of summer. After mid April the shallows warm and the fish move up. The water is typically free of ice between mid April and mid December. Fishing peaks soon after break-up and again before the cold returns. That shapes the year on Lake Maplehurst.

• Tackle & Baits

  Ownership and access are not documented in what we hold. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. A boat ramp sits about half a mile from the water. Parking within half a mile means no long carry with tackle. Public toilets are recorded roughly half a mile off. Some banks are open only from a marked point. Some water is controlled locally without a sign saying so. Torch Lake sits 2.2 miles off and takes the overflow. Confirm before you fish Lake Maplehurst.