Lake Marion in Charlevoix County: How and When to Fish It

• Overview

  Charlevoix County in Michigan is where Lake Marion sits. Elevation runs to 715 feet. It measures about 110 acres, which is a comfortable size for bank fishing. The bank runs about 2.1 miles all the way round, so one visit can cover most of it. You are 6 miles from Charlevoix. Green Bay sits 144 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 Marion

  Our records hold no depth for this water. The productive water is a rod length or two out, not a hundred. Where the bottom changes texture, fish gather; find that line. Fish documented in Charlevoix County include rainbow smelt, alewife, shortjaw cisco, bloater and shortnose cisco. These are county-wide records, so not all of them will be in this water. Anyone new to Lake Marion should walk it once before setting up.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Typical July readings run about 67°F; by January the average is down near 20°F. Winter closes the water for a while, and the reopening is worth catching. Count the season from break-up, usually mid April. The lid tends to go about mid April and return around mid December. Early summer and early autumn carry the open-water season. Anyone fishing Lake Marion regularly works to that calendar.

• Tackle & Baits

  Whether you may fish here is not something records settle. No dam controls it, and the level follows the season. Nothing in the way of made access shows up nearby: no ramp, no car park, no path. For the trout, small spinners and a box of nymphs cover both approaches. Look for a notice board at the entrance. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. The nearest alternative is Nowland Lake, 1.7 miles out. Confirm access to Lake Marion locally before you travel.