Fishing Lake Nine in Iron County, Michigan

• Overview

  Out in Iron County, Michigan, sits Lake Nine. The ground round it is mixed forest. The water covers some 43 acres, so pick a bank rather than trying to cover it all. Compared with other Michigan water on our list, it sits high. The closest town, Iron River, is 5 miles distant. Stambaugh, Iron River is 5 miles and Crystal Falls 11 miles. It lies deep inside the county rather than near an edge.

• Where to Fish on Lake Nine

  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. Bays and points beat straight shoreline every time on water like this. Species logged across Iron County include brown trout, yellow perch, northern pike and walleye. Records at county level tell you what is around, not what is stocked here. Read Lake Nine before you fish it and the day goes better.

• Seasonal Patterns

  Averages move between 9°F in January and 65°F in July. A solid cap is the normal state through winter. Count on hard cover from midwinter, and open water from late April. Expect the water usable from around late April until roughly late November. The weeks after the thaw and the ones before the freeze are the strongest. That shapes the year on Lake Nine.

• Tackle & Baits

  Access is not recorded for this water. Mapping is blank for access, so scout the approach before committing the car. Largemouth respond to soft plastics tight to cover; go weedless where the growth is heavy. Sort the permit out before you load the car. Signs go up and come down, so check on the day. Lake Sixteen, 1 mile away, makes the obvious fallback. Check the position on Lake Nine before loading the car.